Persisting digital society territorial divides

The ‘Europe 2020 Strategy’ was issued in 2010 by the European Commission. This document constitutes a growth scheme for the decade 2010-2020 that aims to help the European Union to emerge from the current crisis through the so-called smart, sustainable and inclusive dimensions of growth. In this context, the basic aim of the SIESTA (“Spatial Indicators for a ‘Europe 2020 Strategy’ Territorial Analysis”) Project has been to illustrate the territorial dimension of the ‘Europe 2020 Strategy’. In other words, to show how this document acts territorially, particularly at the regional scale, but, when possible, also at the urban level. The SIESTA Project has been funded by ESPON (“European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion”), a European Commission Programme whose mission is to support policy development in relation to the aim of territorial cohesion and a harmonious development of the European territory. This book includes most of the main findings and conclusions obtained through research of the SIESTA Project. The contents were presented and discussed as keynote addresses or communications at the SIESTA Final Conference held in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, on 4-5 April 2013

The Complex Case of Carbon-Measuring Tools in Landscape Architecture

As the world takes a more strategic approach to the climate crisis, carbon in its various forms has become a key factor in ascertaining the sustainability of the landscape. Landscape has been recognised as a resource and mechanism for addressing the role of carbon in the environment, with literature focused on the landscape’s carbon capacity as interconnected systems of land, soil, water and organic life. It has, however, largely neglected the crucial role of the cultural, social and historical aspects of the landscape, particularly at the level of design. This paper acknowledges and explores the complexity of landscape as a natural-cultural system with the consequent difficulties this poses in legislating, calculating and measuring carbon for global, national and local targets for low/zero carbon and carbon offsetting. The discussion takes place in the arena of landscape architecture at regional/city/local scales and the life-cycle of a project including its integration into its wider social, cultural and environmental setting. This paper develops the discourse in three major areas: first, by examining how the complexity of landscape is obscured in the context of carbon-measuring tools used in landscape architecture; secondly exploring one such tool in practice to demonstrate how site-specific design decisions can impact carbon levels; and third by proposing how an integrated understanding of landscape can be built into projects to embrace complexity and operationalise low carbon visions

Rider Assist Technologies: Popular Types, Motivations for Use, and Information Sources Consulted by Users

The ubiquity of advanced in-vehicle technologies for cars highlights the relative scarcity of comparable offerings for motorcycles despite the fact that many can be adapted for this mode of transportation. Aspects of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) such as advanced rider assist technologies may increase the safety of motorcyclists. In this study, we surveyed motorcycle riders about the types of advance technologies their current bikes were equipped with, as well as, the primary motivation for purchasing the technology, and how they learned to use the technologies (if applicable). The most frequently reported technologies owned by riders were handle bar controls, engine brake controls, and cruise control. The primary motivation reported for using the technology was increased safety and improved riding capabilities. The riders were more likely to consult online resources (e.g., YouTube) instead of the manufacturer’s materials when learning about the advanced features of their bikes. While the accessibility of the information makes it easy to reference, the lack of standardization and validity of the online content could contribute to the potential misuse of the technology

Noise-induced artificial intelligence

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The study was supported by Medical Research Council Grant No. MR/R02524X/1. A.E., S.G., and A.Z. thank the Russian Science Foundation under Grant No. 22-12-00216. The work of A.E. was supported by RFBR according to Research Project No. 20-32-90151.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Noise-induced artificial intelligence

We show that unavoidable stochastic fluctuations are not only affecting information processing in a destructive or constructive way, but may even induce conditions necessary for the artificial intelligence itself. In this proof-of-principle paper we consider a model of a neuron-astrocyte network under the influence of multiplicative noise and show that information encoding (loading, storage, and retrieval of information patterns), one of the paradigmatic signatures of intelligent systems, can be induced by stochastic influence and astrocytes. Hence, astrocytes, recently proved to play an important role in memory and cognitive processing in mammalian brains, may play also an important role in the generation of a system's features providing artificial intelligence functions. Hence, one could conclude that intrinsic stochasticity is probably positively utilized by brains, not only to optimize the signal response but also to induce intelligence itself, and one of the key roles, played by astrocytes in information processing, could be dealing with noises

Drop the anchor: lightweight memory management for non-blocking data structures

ABSTRACT Efficient memory management of dynamic non-blocking data structures remains an important open question. Existing methods either sacrifice the ability to deallocate objects or reduce performance notably. In this paper, we present a novel technique, called Drop the Anchor, which significantly reduces the overhead associated with the memory management while reclaiming objects even in the presence of thread failures. We demonstrate this memory management scheme on the common linked list data structure. Using extensive evaluation, we show that Drop the Anchor significantly outperforms Hazard Pointers, the widely used technique for non-blocking memory management

Three-dimensional in vitro follicle growth: overview of culture models, biomaterials, design parameters and future directions

In vitro ovarian follicle culture is a new frontier in assisted reproductive technology with tremendous potential, especially for fertility preservation. Folliculogenesis within the ovary is a complex process requiring interaction between somatic cell components and the oocyte. Conventional two-dimensional culture on tissue culture substrata impedes spherical growth and preservation of the spatial arrangements between oocyte and surrounding granulosa cells. Granulosa cell attachment and migration can leave the oocyte naked and unable to complete the maturation process. Recognition of the importance of spatial arrangements between cells has spurred research in to three-dimensional culture system. Such systems may be vital when dealing with human primordial follicles that may require as long as three months in culture. In the present work we review pertinent aspects of in vitro follicle maturation, with an emphasis on tissue-engineering solutions for maintaining the follicular unit during the culture interval. We focus primarily on presenting the various 3-dimensional culture systems that have been applied for in vitro maturation of follicle:oocyte complexes. We also try to present an overview of outcomes with various biomaterials and animal models and also the limitations of the existing systems

AKR1D1 knockout mice have impaired intestinal health with evidence of gut dybiosis and increased gut permeability and have increased incidence of colon cancer in females

AKR1D1 knockout mice have impaired intestinal health with evidence of gut dybiosis and increased gut permeability and have increased incidence of colon cancer in female

Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean)

Although coccolithophores are not as numerically common or as diverse in the Southern Ocean as they are in subpolar waters of the North Atlantic, a few species, such as Emiliania huxleyi, are found during the summer months. Little is actually known about the calcite production (CP) of these communities or how their distribution and physiology relate to environmental variables in this region. In February 2009, we made observations across Drake Passage (between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula) of coccolithophore distribution, CP, primary production, chlorophyll a and macronutrient concentrations, irradiance and carbonate chemistry. Although CP represented less than 1% of total carbon fixation, coccolithophores were widespread across Drake Passage. The B/C morphotype of E. huxleyi was the dominant coccolithophore, with low estimates of coccolith calcite ( 0.01 pmol C coccolith-/ from biometric measurements. Both cell-normalised calcification (0.01–0.16 pmol C cell-1 d-1/ and total CP (< 20 μmol C m-1 d-1/were much lower than those observed in the subpolar North Atlantic where E. huxleyi morphotype A is dominant. However, estimates of coccolith production rates were similar (0.1–1.2 coccoliths cell-1 h-1/ to previous measurements made in the subpolar North Atlantic. A multivariate statistical approach found that temperature and irradiance together were best able to explain the observed variation in species distribution and abundance (Spearman’s rank correlation D0.4, p < 0.01). Rates of calcification per cell and coccolith production, as well as community CP and E. huxleyi abundance, were all positively correlated (p < 0.05) to the strong latitudinal gradient in temperature, irradiance and calcite saturation states across Drake Passage. Broadly, our results lend support to recent suggestions that coccolithophores, especially E. huxleyi, are advancing polewards. However, our in situ observations indicate that this may owe more to sea-surface warming and increasing irradiance rather than increasing CO2 concentrations