Particle transport and finite-size effects in Lorentz channels with finite horizons

Particle transport is investigated in a finite-size realization of the classical Lorentz gas model. We consider point particles moving at constant speed in a 2D rectangular strip of finite length, filled with circular scatterers sitting at the vertices of a triangular lattice. Particles are injected at the left boundary with a prescribed rate, undergo specular reflections when colliding with the scatterers and the horizontal boundaries of the channel, and are finally absorbed at the left or the right boundary. Thanks to the equivalence with give Correlated Random Walks, in the finite horizon case, we show that the inverse probability that a particle exits through the right boundary depends linearly on the number of cells in the channel. A non-monotonic behavior of such probability as a function of the density of scatterers is also discussed and traced back analytically to the geometric features of a single trap. This way, we do not refer to asymptotic quantities and we accurately quantify the finite size effects. Our deterministic model provides a microscopic support for a variety of phenomenological laws, e.g. the Darcy's law for porous media and the Ohm's law in electronic transport

‘By Toutatis, I didn’t know they said that in Hibernia!’: The Representation and Localisation of Otherness in Asterix Video Games

The Asterix multimedia franchise continues to expand across media, as a wide range of new cultural artifacts appear that feature the popular characters from the comic book series created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo in 1959 and still ongoing after their respective deaths in 1977 and 2020. Only some of these products tend to receive critical attention, however. For example, Asterix video games are rarely discussed in scholarly studies, one notable exception being a contrastive analysis of the English and Italian versions of ‘Asterix at the Olympic Games’ (Étranges Libellules 2007) (Tarquini 2011). Unlike the latter, which is based on the 1968 comic book and the 2008 live-action film with the same title, more recent games, such as ‘Asterix & Obelix XXL 3: The Crystal Menhir’ (OSome Studio 2019) and ‘Asterix & Obelix XXXL: The Ram from Hibernia’ (OSome Studio 2022), introduce entirely new characters and plotlines. Positioning the player as an indomitable Gaul who thwarts Roman expansionist ambitions in a variety of geographical contexts, these games often stage Asterix and Obelix’s encounter with characters of different ethnicities. If the comic books rely on national stereotypes for characterisation purposes, Asterix video games similarly deploy various strategies of linguacultural othering, which arguably contain the subversive power of these interactive narratives of anti-colonialism. This paper proposes to analyse the representation and localisation of otherness in the English and Italian versions of ‘XXL3’ and ‘XXXL’. Crosspollinating postcolonial game studies with game localisation research, my study will highlight important similarities and differences in terms of linguacultural othering between games and between different versions of the same gam

Schiavi e galeotti fra Tre e Cinquecento

The author questions the fact of multiethnicity on board the Genoese galleys, showing how, from an initial situation of ethnic homogeneity, characterizing the centuries of the late Middle Ages, during the sixteenth century, there was a transition to the presence on board of convicts and enslaved people. The reasons for this change are linked to naval enlargement, as well as to the chronic shortage of men

A comprehensive evaluation of the low-velocity impact behaviour of intraply hybrid flax/basalt composites using infrared thermography and terahertz time-domain spectroscopy techniques

Low-velocity impacts severely jeopardize the structural reliability of polymer composites. In view of this, a thorough evaluation of the impact damage of the polypropylene (PP) composites reinforced with an ecofriendly intraply flax/basalt hybrid fabric was performed based on infrared thermography (including pulsed thermography, linear scanning thermography) and terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) techniques. However, the main problem is the lack of multi-source fusion technique regarding more than two sensors, and the discussions regarding homologous fusion (pulsed thermography and linear scanning thermography), and non-homologous fusion (infrared thermography and THz-TDS). In this work, a comprehensive evaluation for the impact resistance of hybrid polymer composites was conducted, including detecting the uneven resin distribution and exploring new multi-sources fusion strategy. The experimental results demonstrate the superior capability of multi-source fusion techniques

Retinopathy of prematurity and MicroRNAs

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), a leading cause of blindness in preterm infants, arises from dysregulated angiogenesis and inflammation. Without timely intervention, ROP can progress to severe outcomes, including dense fibrovascular plaques and retinal detachment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate key pathways such as hypoxia response, VEGF signaling, and vascular remodeling. Studies have identified miRNAs (e.g., miR-210, miR-146a, and miR-21) as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Preclinical evidence supports miRNA-based therapies (e.g., miR-18a-5p and miR-181a), targeting HIF-1α and VEGFA to mitigate neovascularization, with nanoparticle delivery systems enhancing stability and specificity. These strategies, combined with anti-VEGF agents, show significant potential for improving ROP management. While promising, miRNA therapies require validation in clinical trials to ensure safety and efficacy. This review discusses the role of miRNAs in ROP, highlighting their relevance as diagnostic and therapeutic tools

Consensus recommendations to establish reporting standards in fMRI of migraine. A Delphi study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Migraine is a multifaceted primary headache disorder. In neuroimaging of migraine, fMRI has been used to elucidate pathophysiology or monitor treatment effects. The current literature, however, is highly heterogeneous regarding reported variables and methodologies. This begets a lack of comparability and complicates synthesis of results across studies. We developed a framework for standardized reporting of fMRI studies in migraine. METHODS: Experts on fMRI in migraine were identified from the literature and subjected to structured questionnaires in 2 iterations of 3 rounds according to the DELPHI method. A total of 157 statements across 17 reporting domains were rated on 5-point Likert scales (strong support to strong opposition). The first iteration covered demographic data, migraine-specific factors, medication, scan timing, healthy controls (HCs), participant sampling/recruiting, standardized forms, study preregistration, region of interest (ROI) analyses, validation data sets, data sharing, preprocessing documentation, and analysis software. The second iteration of the questionnaire covered scanner-related factors, sequence-related factors, physiology monitoring, and stimulation-related factors. Items showing strong consensus/consensus (≥90%/≥75% of participants indicating scores 4 or 5) were included as standard reporting items. RESULTS: All 3 rounds of the first/second iteration were completed by 29 and 26 researchers (age 46 ± 11 years; 38% female/age 46 ± 12 years; 44% female) from 23 and 21 institutions. Across both iterations, strong consensus and consensus was achieved for 34 (3 scanner-related factors, 9 sequence-related factors, 1 stimulation-related factor, 2 demographic factors, 7 migraine-specific factors, 2 medication-factors, 2 scan timing factors, 4 HC factors, 1 preregistration factor, 1 analysis software factor, and 2 ROI analyses factors) and 33 (1 scanner-related factors, 4 sequence related factors, 1 factor related to physiology monitoring, 1 stimulation-related factor, 3 demographic factors, 6 migraine-specific factors, 4 medication factors, 3 HC factors, 2 sampling factors, 1 standardized form, 1 preregistration factor, 1 data sharing factor, 2 analysis software factors, and 3 ROI analyses factors) items, respectively. From these, a checklist covering 63 items from 14 reporting domains was created. DISCUSSION: We present an expert-based framework for reporting standards in fMRI studies of migraine, which can be used for future studies to homogenize cohort characterization, fMRI acquisitions, and analysis protocols

Work and the veins. A retrospective analysis of work activities in patients with chronic venous disease

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between work activities and chronic venous disease of the lower limbs. Methods: Patients referred to our clinical units of Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology for chronic venous disease (CVD) assessment between January 2019 and December 2023 were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Inclusion criteria were (a) CVD status confirmed by office visit and Duplex ultrasound, (b) not having any other vascular disease of the lower limbs (such as arterial or lymphatic problems), (c) work activities of at least 1-year duration, in the medical records. Results: A total of 948 patients (642 females and 306 males) were retrospectively enrolled. Of these, 613 patients (431 females and 182 males) were affected by CVD and 335 patients (211 females and 124 males) were not affected by CVD and served as controls. Sedentary jobs and jobs where the ambient work temperature ambient is hot have been associated with CVD. Other types of work with no sedentary activities or with a cool ambient work temperature were not associated with CVD. Conclusions: Work activity and the occupational environment may be tightly related to the onset and progression of CVD. Forced postures, excessive standing or sitting, and high ambient temperatures can reduce lower limb venous function at work and cause CVD

Phase-change heterostructures based on antimony

Phase-change materials (PCMs) are employed in optical and electronic storage devices and are interesting candidates for neuromorphic computing. However, they exhibit some drawbacks that limit their application in this field, including a temporal drift in resistance and a stochastic variability of the conductance. To eliminate these problems, it has been proposed to use phase-change heterostructures made of alternating thin layers of PCMs and proper confinement materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides. Herein, superlattice heterostructures consisting of TiTe2 and antimony are investigated by ab initio methods and neural-network interatomic potentials. The structural and kinetic properties of the relevant phases are characterized. A complete switching cycle is simulated and it is shown that very high quenching rates must be used to generate stable amorphous Sb layers. It is also shown that it is possible to switch the Sb layer without destroying the crystalline structure of TiTe2, which makes these superlattices potential candidates for neuro-inspired applications that do not require long retention times, such as computing-in-memory tasks

The impact of preoperative venous thromboembolism on patients undergoing TURBT: Perioperative outcomes and healthcare costs from US insurance claims data

Objectives: To assess the impact of a positive history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) on perioperative outcomes, including length of in-hospital stay, readmission rates, 90-day postoperative complications, and healthcare costs in bladder cancer (BCa) patients undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) in the United States. Patients and Methods: Patients aged ≥18 years with a BCa diagnosis undergoing TURBT were identified in the Merative® Marketscan® Research de-identified databases between 2007 and 2021. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted by relevant perioperative confounders was used to investigate the association between diagnosis of VTE before TURBT and 90-day complication rates, new postoperative VTE events, re-hospitalization, and total hospital expenditures (2021 US dollars). Sensitivity analyses on VTE severity (pulmonary embolism [PE], deep venous thrombosis [DVT] or superficial thrombophlebitis/phlebitis [SVT]), as well as TURBT extent (minor vs. major) were additionally examined. Results: In total, 139 800 patients were identified, with 5.3% having preoperative VTE, including DVT (n = 3112, 42.20%), PE (n = 2046, 27.74%) and SVT (n = 2217, 30.06%). A history of preoperative VTE predicted higher rates of any complication (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.28, 95% CI 1.14–1.43) and also higher rates of infectious and haemorrhagic complications. Additionally, preoperative VTE increased the risk of novel VTE events following TURBT (aOR 17.30, 95% CI 16.05–18.65), hospital length of stay (aOR 2.23, 95% CI 1.90–2.62), readmissions (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.39–1.56), and hospital associated costs (aOR 1.17, 95% CI 1.12–1.23). DVT and non-minor TURBT procedures did not increase the risk of any, infectious, or haemorrhagic complications, but other associations were maintained regardless of the severity of VTE (PE, DVT, SVT) or TURBT extent (minor/major). Conclusions: A history of VTE before undergoing transurethral procedures for BCa is associated with significantly worse perioperative outcomes and higher healthcare costs. These findings may help us to counsel on the risks of the intervention and hopefully improve our ability to mitigate such risks

Open innovation in family-owned firms

This paper investigates the impact of family ownership on firms’ adoption of open innovation strategies. Using data from the VIII UniCredit “Survey on small and medium-sized enterprises”, we find that family ownership is positively and significantly associated with the adoption of open innovation models by firms. The propensity to engage in open innovation by family firms is particularly pronounced in firms involved in product innovation and in collaborations with suppliers. The paper also delves into the inherent characteristics of family owners, emphasizing that the positive association between family ownership and open innovation is largely driven by their long-term perspective and relational abilities