Measurement of CP Asymmetries in B0→KS0π0γ Decays at Belle II

We report measurements of time-dependent CP asymmetries in B0→KS0π0γ decays based on a data sample of (388±6)×106 BB ̄ events collected at the Υ(4S) resonance with the Belle II detector. The Belle II experiment operates at the SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We measure decay-time distributions to determine CP -violating parameters S and C. We determine these parameters for two ranges of KS0π0 invariant mass: m(KS0π0)(0.8,1.0) GeV/c2, which is dominated by B0→K∗0(→KS0π0)γ decays, and a complementary region m(KS0π0)(0.6,0.8)(1.0,1.8) GeV/c2. Our results have improved precision as compared to previous measurements and are consistent with theory predictions

What about the others? Conditional cooperation, climate change perception and ecological actions

Climate challenge can be modelled as a multiplayer prisoner's dilemma where ecological action - e.g., purchasing an electric car or adopting sustainable life-styles - is costly in terms of economic resources, time, and effort. The prisoner's dilemma structure of the game implies that, even though the social benefit is maximized - and every player would be better off - with everyone taking ecological actions, the strategy profile with no player taking action is a Nash equilibrium, assuming players have purely self-regarding preferences. In this paper we analyse how this ecological dilemma is affected by people's perceptions. Using the European Social Survey, we study how urgent the climate threat is perceived by respondents and their beliefs about other countries' actions. Theoretical predictions suggest that the former increases, while the latter does not affect individual willingness to act ecologically when introducing heterogeneity about the effect of worry on intrinsic motivations. Our empirical findings however show that both factors positively affect willingness to act. We interpret the positive effect by arguing that intrinsic motivations are also affected by other people action and show that the effect is weaker as social capital increases

Effects of the climate-related sentiment on agricultural spot prices: Insights from Wavelet Rényi Entropy analysis

The economic impact of climate change on agriculture is complex and multifaceted, with public sentiment playing a crucial role. Public perception of climate events can significantly influence consumer behavior and investment decisions, adding uncertainty and volatility to agricultural markets. Beyond the direct effects of climate change, it is essential to understand how public reactions can shape and amplify economic consequences. This study analyzes the impact of climate-related sentiment and equity market performance on agricultural commodity spot prices using a novel approach that examines the most important intrinsic properties of time series related to their deterministic, stochastic, or chaotic behavior. We focus on the predictability of time series, applying our techniques to the spot prices of soybean, cotton, corn, wheat, coffee, and orange juice. Our method combines Rényi entropy and wavelet analysis to capture low- and high-probability events and distinguish between short-term and long-term trends. The main finding suggests that climate-related sentiment and equity market performance help to predict extreme events in long-term agricultural spot price distributions, though predictability decreases for short-term fluctuations. This has important implications with regard to forecasting models in agricultural markets

Graph neural networks for electroencephalogram analysis: Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy use cases

Electroencephalography (EEG) is widely used as a non-invasive technique for the diagnosis of several brain disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Until recently, diseases have been identified over EEG readings by human experts, which may not only be specific and difficult to find, but are also subject to human error. Despite the recent emergence of machine learning methods for the interpretation of EEGs, most approaches are not capable of capturing the underlying arbitrary non-Euclidean relations between signals in the different regions of the human brain. In this context, Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have gained attention for their ability to effectively analyze complex relationships within different types of graph-structured data. This includes EEGs, a use case still relatively unexplored. In this paper, we aim to bridge this gap by presenting a study that applies GNNs for the EEG-based detection of Alzheimer's disease and discrimination of two different types of seizures. To this end, we demonstrate the value of GNNs by showing that a single GNN architecture can achieve state-of-the-art performance in both use cases. Through design space explorations and explainability analysis, we develop a graph-based transformer that achieves cross-validated accuracies over 89% and 96% in the ternary classification variants of Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy use cases, respectively, matching the intuitions drawn by expert neurologists. We also argue about the computational efficiency, generalizability and potential for real-time operation of GNNs for EEGs, positioning them as a valuable tool for classifying various neurological pathologies and opening up new prospects for research and clinical practice

The Evolution of Lobbying in the Digital Age

This paper argues that digitalness, as the defining attribute of our era, provides an unprecedented opportunity to better understand our world and develop improved strategies for managing institutional relations. In this context, the innovative method of Digital Lobbying is introduced as a means to accurately decode a complex, intricate, and volatile society. Digital Lobbying is ultimately characterized as a positive-sum game, capitalizing on the myriad possibilities off ered by technological innovation. It employs an innovative approach that integrates these possibilities into a coherent framework, aiming to create greater value for professionals, organizations, their stakeholders, and public decision-makers. Th is method may contribute to enhancing democracy and the quality of its processes by fostering more transparent, efficient, and effective interactions within the public sphere

Le donne nei board delle società: parità vera o apparente?

La diversità nei board (di sesso, età, provenienza, ecc.) è raccomandata dalle buone pratiche di corporate governance; in particolare, la diversità di genere (che significa “presenza anche del sesso femminile”, essendo quella maschile prevalente) sarebbe estremamente auspicabile. Per l’approccio funzionalista (che è quello prevalente in questo ambito di ricerca), migliorerebbe la qualità dei processi decisionali, il controllo della gestione, la performance finanziaria, ridurrebbe il rischio. Il tema in Italia è di particolare rilevanza perché la Legge Golfo-Mosca del 2011 (le "quote rosa") ha imposto alle società quotate la presenza nei cda (per almeno un terzo, due quinti dal 2020, post proroga della legge) del genere meno rappresentato, che è nei fatti quello femminile. L’analisi qui svolta mira a mettere in evidenza come, pur nell’ambito di un processo che va, almeno apparentemente, nella direzione di favorire la parità di genere, si rilevino una serie di tendenze, nell’ambito della ricerca scientifica sul tema (di cui si presenta una review sistematica e aggiornata con riferimento alla letteratura internazionale, per lo più empirica), e di derive perverse nella pratica (con prevalente riferimento all’Italia) che replicano stereotipi e luoghi comuni propri “della disparità di genere” che si vuole combattere/superare e che quindi fanno dubitare sull’effettivo passo in avanti verso la parità di genere in termini di cambiamento socio-culturale.Diversity on boards (gender, age, origin, etc.) is recommended by good corporate governance practices; in particular, gender diversity (which means "presence of the female sex", since the male sex is predominant) would be extremely desirable. For the functionalist approach (which prevails in this field of research), it would improve the quality of decision-making processes, management control, financial performance, and reduce risk. The issue in Italy is of particular relevance because the Golfo-Mosca Law of 2011 (the "pink quotas") required listed companies to have the presence on the boards of directors (for at least a third, two-fifths since 2020, after the extension of the law) of the least represented gender, which is in fact the female one. The analysis carried out here aims to highlight how, even in the context of a process that goes (at least apparently) in the direction of promoting gender equality, a series of trends can be observed, in the field of scientific research on the subject (of which a systematic and updated review is presented with reference to the international literature, mostly empirical), and of perverse drifts in practice (with prevalent reference to Italy) that replicate stereotypes and clichés typical of "gender inequality" that research and practice want to fight/overcome and that therefore cast doubt on the actual step forward towards gender equality in terms of socio-cultural change

The Neoplatonist ‘School of Pergamon’: Philosophy and Politics in the Fourth Century ad

This chapter focuses on philosophy and politics during the early and mid-fourth century AD. The Neoplatonist schools in Pergamon had a significant impact on debates about law, politics, and rulership which involved figures such as Themistius and Julian. The extant sources suggest that the Neoplatonist schools in Pergamon were not underground circles centred on religious practices. There was no single orthodoxy, but different positions and debates within a commonly shared school background shaped by the interpretation of authoritative texts and by the use of sophisticated argumentative methods. For those who supported theurgy, philosophy culminated in a suprarational experience, but this outcome was not meant to supplant traditional teaching. The geographical space of fourth century Neoplatonists is located in the East and this situation is completely different not only from the time of Galen, but also from the time of Plotinus and Porphyry in the late third century