5,310 research outputs found
Chimpanzee pant-hoots encode individual information more reliably than group differences
No full textVocal learning, the ability to modify the acoustic structure of vocalizations based on social experience, is a fundamental feature of speech in humans (Homo sapiens). While vocal learning is common in taxa such as songbirds and whales, the vocal learning capacities of nonhuman primates appear more limited. Intriguingly, evidence for vocal learning has been reported in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), for example, in the form of regional variation ("dialects") in the "pant-hoot" calls. This suggests that some capacity for vocal learning may be an ancient feature of the Pan-Homo clade. Nonetheless, reported differences have been subtle, with intercommunity variation representing only a small portion of the total acoustic variation. To gain further insights into the extent of regional variation in chimpanzee vocalizations, we performed an analysis of pant-hoots from chimpanzees in the neighboring Kasekela and Mitumba communities at Gombe National Park, Tanzania, and the geographically distant Kanyawara community at Kibale National Park, Uganda. We did not find any statistically significant differences between the neighboring communities at Gombe or among geographically distant communities. Furthermore, we found differences among individuals in all communities. Hence, the variation in chimpanzee pant-hoots reflected individual differences, rather than group differences. Thus, we did not find evidence of dialects in this population, suggesting that extensive vocal learning emerged only after the lineages of Homo and Pan diverged
Integrated assessment of environmental impact of Europe in 2010: data sources and extrapolation strategies for calculating normalisation factors
No full textPurpose. Assessing comprehensively the overall environmental impacts of a region remains a major challenge. Within life cycle assessment (LCA), this evaluation is performed calculating normalisation factors at different scales. Normalisation represents an optional step of LCA according to ISO 14040/44 which may help in understanding the relative magnitude of the impact associated to a product when compared to a reference value. In order to enhance the robustness and comprehensiveness of normalisation factors for Europe in 2010, this paper present a methodology for building an extended domestic inventory of emission and resources to be used in the context of Product Environmental Footprint
Material and methods. The normalisation factors (NFs) for EU 27 in 2010 are based on extensive data collection and the application of extrapolation strategies for data gaps filling. The inventory is based on domestic emissions into air, water and soil and on resource extracted in EU, adopting a production based approach. A hierarchy hasebeen developed for data sources selection based on their robustness and data quality. Data gap filling has been based on proxy indicators, capitalizing existing statistics on pressure indicators. To calculate NFs, the inventory has been multiplied by the characterization factors at midpoint as recommended in International reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook (EC-JRC, 2011).
Results and discussion. The resulting NFs presents several added values compared to prior normalization exercises, namely: more complete inventory; robustness evaluation of the data sources; more comprehensive coverage of the flows within each impact category; overall evaluation of the robustness of the final figures. Few flows (NOx, SOx, NH4 etc) are driving the impacts of several impact categories, and the choice of the data sources is particularly crucial, as this may lead to differences in the NFs. The adoption of domestic NFs may results in overestimating the relative magnitude of certain impacts, especially when those impacts are associated with traded goods from or to outside the EU 27.
Conclusion. Normalisation factors may help identification of the relative magnitude of the impact. Nonetheless, several limitations still exist both at the inventory and at the impact assessment level. Those limitations should be clearly reported and understood by the users of normalisation factors in order to correctly interpret the results of their study. Indeed, the efforts towards more robust normalization reference are needed both at the inventory and at the impact assessment side, including more robust impact assessment methods as well as better coverage of substances for which an inventory data is available but the characterization is missing. Strenghts and limitations of the current exercize have, then, implications also in other application context where integrated assessment of impacts is needed and were data gap filling and estimation of potential environemntal impacts is needed.JRC.H.8 - Sustainability Assessmen
Scientometric Insights into Research Contributions of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology
No full textThis study evaluates the research productivity and impact of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology using Scopus data (2001–2021). A total of 4,897 publications receiving 53,059 citations were analyzed with scientometric indicators including AGR, RGR, DT, collaboration measures, authorship, citations, and keywords. Results show a gradual growth in research output, with peak productivity during 2017–2021 and Kumar, A. as the most prolific author (165 publications)
Why the case for a multilateral agreement on investment is weak
No full textThe demand of industrialized countries for a multilateral agreement on investment to be negotiated under the roof of the WTO is meeting with considerable resistance on the part of developing countries. The proponents of such a multilateral agreement argue that binding disciplines of capital-importing countries would help reduce uncertainty and, hence, result in more foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries. By contrast, the opponents consider such an agreement to be biased in favor of business interests and against the development objectives of Third World economies. It is for various reasons that the case for a multilateral agreement on investment is not compelling: Investment regulations have been liberalized progressively by unilateral measures without multilateral obligations to do so. Moreover, the protection of foreign investors against political risk is fairly advanced given the large number of bilateral and plurilateral investment treaties. A multilateral agreement could reduce FDI-related transaction costs significantly only in the unlikely event that the complex net of existing arrangements would be replaced. A “WTO plus”-type framework appears to be the more realistic outcome of negotiations, with a multilateral agreement defining the smallest common denominator of WTO members and more substantive agreements with limited membership remaining in place. Empirical evidence suggests that WTO negotiations on investment are neither sufficient nor necessary to induce higher FDI flows to developing countries. Transaction-cost-related impediments to FDI have played a minor role in driving FDI, and the absence of a multilateral agreement has not prevented the recent boom of FDI in developing countries. Wishful thinking prevails on the part of developing countries, which insist on preferential treatment with regard to their own obligations as host countries and on binding obligations for foreign investors and their home countries. It is highly questionable whether developing countries could derive more benefits from FDI if a multilateral agreement were to include “development clauses” allowing for flexible and selective approval procedures and performance requirements such as local-content rules. The call for binding rules on the behavior of foreign investors may discourage multinational enterprises from investing in developing countries altogether, instead of fostering transfers of technology and improving the quality of FDI. By insisting on preferential treatment with regard to FDI incentives, developing countries tend to ignore that incentives- based competition for FDI is mainly between themselves. Unless developing countries are prepared to tie their own hands, they cannot reasonably expect significant concessions from industrialized countries. Developing countries will become relevant negotiation partners in the WTO only by offering something on their own. Rather than engaging in a futile attempt to block multilateral negotiations on investment altogether, developing countries should commit themselves to rulebased FDI policies as a negotiating chip. The pressure on industrialized countries to engage in negotiations on labor mobility would mount if developing countries refrained from performance requirements and granted national treatment to foreign investors. --
Reconstruction of the cranial base following endonasal skull base surgery: regional tissue flaps
No full textAbstract not availableAmol M. Bhatki, Harshita Pant, Carl H. Snyderman, Ricardo L. Carrau, Amin B. Kassam, Daniel M. Prevedello, Paul Gardne
Chapter 24. Electroactive Biochar: Sustainable and Scalable Environmental Applications of Microbial Electrochemical Technologies
No full textMultidisciplinary and multiobjective design optimisation of coronary stents
No full textCoronary stents are tubular type scaffolds that are deployed, using an inflatable balloon on a catheter, most commonly to recover the lumen size of narrowed (diseased) arterial segments. Even though numerous stent designs, of varying geometrical and material complexity, are used in clinical practice today, the adverse biological responses post-stenting are not completely eliminated. In-stent restenosis (IR), reduction in lumen size due to neointima formation within 12 months of procedure, and stent thrombosis (ST), formation of a blood clot inside a stented vessel, are the two most common adverse responses to stents. Such adverse responses are multifactorial and their causes are not completely understood. However, the geometric design of a stent, which is a common differentiating factor between the numerous commercially available stents, is known to be a key factor influencing adverse responses. In light of the above, this thesis exploits stent geometry parameterisation in both constrained and multiobjective optimisation. Gaussian process surrogate modelling is used to cost effectively (a) understand the influence of stent geometry parameters on metrics indicating adverse response, and (b) obtain families of stent designs which are potentially more resistant to such responses.Various computational models are developed to evaluate the efficacy of a stent in terms of the factors influencing the adverse responses. In particular, two finite element analysis (FEA) models and two computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are developed. The FEA models are used to simulate the balloon-expansion of stents in a representative coronary artery and bending of stents on application of bending moments. On the other hand, the CFD models simulate haemodynamic flow in the stented artery and the associated drug-release into the tissue. The expansion FEA models are validated against manufacturer provided pressure-diameter relationship and the flexibility FEA models are validated against the numerical studies found in literature. The numerical models are then used to extract metrics which are related to the adverse responses. Six metrics are formulated: (i) acute recoil, which measures the radial strength of the stent; (ii) volume average stress, which measures potential arterial injury caused by the stenting procedure; (iii) haemodynamic low and reverse index, which measures the haemodynamic alteration relevant to IR; (iv) volume average drug, which measures the amount of anti-proliferative drug delivered into the tissue; (v) drug deviation, which measures the uniformity of drug-distribution in the tissue; and (vi) flexibility metric, which measures the deliverability of the stent. These metrics are then used to compare the performance of different geometric stent designs. Two parameterisation techniques – one for a generic ring and link topology of stents, and one for the commercial CYPHER (Cordis corporation, Johnson & Johnson company) – are proposed to study the effect of geometrical variation in stent design on the formulated metrics of efficacy. These techniques are then combined with surrogate modelling to perform stent design optimisation studies and study the effect of stent geometry on the evaluation metrics. Finally, three paradigms to choose optimal stent designs from a set of non-dominated solutions, in terms of the evaluation metrics, are proposed, and optimal designs under such paradigms are identified.The last part of this thesis concerns surrogate assisted optimisation, and is not specific to the problem of stent design. Here, the use of analytically available gradient information in widely used Kriging predictors is explored. A search algorithm to locate all stationary points of a Krig, using a combination of an iterative sequence of the Krig derivative and a low-discrepancy sequence is proposed
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