On the Growth of Scientific Knowledge: Yeast Biology as a Case Study

The tempo and mode of human knowledge expansion is an enduring yet poorly understood topic. Through a temporal network analysis of three decades of discoveries of protein interactions and genetic interactions in baker's yeast, we show that the growth of scientific knowledge is exponential over time and that important subjects tend to be studied earlier. However, expansions of different domains of knowledge are highly heterogeneous and episodic such that the temporal turnover of knowledge hubs is much greater than expected by chance. Familiar subjects are preferentially studied over new subjects, leading to a reduced pace of innovation. While research is increasingly done in teams, the number of discoveries per researcher is greater in smaller teams. These findings reveal collective human behaviors in scientific research and help design better strategies in future knowledge exploration

Back to the future: career transitions at the dawn of capitalism: the immigration of merchants from the Southern Netherlands to Amsterdam, 1578–1602

This paper investigates the conditions facilitating career transitions across dissimilar cultural contexts. Particular attention is devoted to two critical obstacles faced by transitioners during cross-cultural role reorientations. First, transitioners must make sense of the unspoken demands and requirements ascribed to their work role in the new cultural context. Second, they must find ways to access and mobilize context-specific resources and information in a context alien to them. Empirically, the histories of 452 merchants emigrated from the southern provinces to Amsterdam during the period 1578–1602 are analyzed. The difference between Amsterdam’s merchant culture (based on open competition, speculative and “depersonalized” financial investments) and that of the southern provinces (a wellprotected economic environment based on the guild system) required a reorientation from the role of pre-modern merchants to that of capitalist entrepreneurs. A set of hypotheses predicting why some immigrant merchants successfully completed this career transition while others did not is presented and brought to tes

IN SITU REMEDIATION PLANT AND PROCESS WITH ELECTRODES INSTALLED IN AN UNSATURATED POROUS MEDIUM WITH MEDIUM TO HIGH PERMEABILITY FOR THE REMOVAL OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC POLLUTANTS

An in situ remediation process for the removal of inorganic and organic pollutants in an unsaturated porous medium with medium to high permeability, which uses at least one pair of electrodes (E1, E2) installed in the medium to activate mechanisms of action depending on the operating conditions. The process includes injecting chemical solutions into the porous medium for the extraction of the existing pollutants from the porous medium and/or the degradation thereof within the porous medium itself

SISTEMA E PROCEDIMENTO DI BONIFICA IN SITU CON ELETTRODI PER LA RIMOZIONE DI INQUINANTI INORGANICI E/O ORGANICI IN UN MEZZO POROSO

Un procedimento di bonifica in situ per la rimozione di inquinanti inorganici e/o organici in un mezzo poroso che utilizza almeno una coppia di elettrodi (E1, E2) per attivare meccanismi di azione in funzione delle condizioni di esercizio. Il procedimento prevede di procedere alla caratterizzazione del sito e all’iniezione nel mezzo poroso di acqua e/o soluzioni chimiche per l’estrazione dal mezzo poroso degli inquinanti presenti e/o la loro degradazione all’interno del mezzo poroso stesso. Per contaminazione da INORGANICI si attivano i processi di mobilizzazione e trasporto al fine di recuperare le specie chimiche in oggetto attraverso pozzi di estrazione (PE) o camere elettrodiche (CE) mediante alimentazione continua (DC). Per contaminazione da ORGANICI si attivano i processi di ossidazione/riduzione e/o biodegradazione e/o elettro-ossidazione/riduzione e/o bio-elettrodegradazione con l’applicazione di alimentazione continua DC e successivamente si attiva una fase di alimentazione alternata AC allo scopo di riscaldare il mezzo poroso per accelerare la cinetica dei processi e/o attivare alcuni ossidanti chimici. Per contaminazione MISTA la sequenza di operazioni può essere individuata sulla base della contaminazione prevalente, dell’abbattimento della contaminazione richiesto e della compatibilità dei differenti meccanismi di azione sulle diverse tipologie di inquinanti

Left shift of the ventricular mean electrical axis in healthy doberman pinschers

In canine electrocardiography, the reference interval of the ventricular mean electrical axis (MEA) is between +40° and +100°. MEA values in dogs can be influenced by the patient position as well as by the shape of the thorax. The aim of this study was to evaluate the MEA in healthy Doberman Pinschers, hypothesizing that some present a left shift of the MEA. In this retrospective study, 41 healthy, client-owned Doberman Pinschers were included. Echocardiography and standard six-lead ECG examination were performed in all dogs. The MEA was calculated using the isoelectric method. The morphology of the QRS complex and the Q/R ratio in lead II were also evaluated. The median MEA was +45° and ranged from -45° to +90°. MEA was deviated in 16/41 dogs (39%), all presenting a left axis deviation (range, -45° to + 30°). Age was significantly associated with the MEA (P=0.008), showing a negative linear correlation. A deep Q wave in lead II was present in 26/41 (63%) dogs. The Q/R ratio was higher in dogs presenting left shift of the MEA (0.66; range, 0.28-1.35) in comparison to dogs with a MEA within reference range (0.44; range, 0.04-0.73; P<0.001). In conclusion, a significant number of healthy Doberman Pinschers present a left shift of the MEA compare to the reference range, and dogs with MEA deviation show a higher Q/R ratio in lead II. This data should be considered when electrocardiographic evaluation is performed in Doberman Pinschers

Use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to optimize the development of an innovative remediation technology – The case of ERASE

Nell’ambito dell’appalto pre-commerciale Polluted Site Decontamination (POSIDON PCP), è stata sviluppata una tecnologia di bonifica in situ (ERASE – ElectRode-Aided Soil rEmediation), basata sull’integrazione dei meccanismi fisici, chimici e biologici indotti da una corretta alimentazione di almeno una coppia di elettrodi in un mezzo poroso (terreno eterogeneo/materiali di riporto, sia in condizioni sature che insature), affetto da inquinamento organico e/o inorganico. Le attività di ricerca sono state avviate dal proof of concept in laboratorio per arrivare ai test in campo in due diversi siti pilota. È stata condotta una valutazione del ciclo di vita (LCA) secondo gli standard ISO 14040 e 14044. La valutazione si è basata sulle attrezzature dell›impianto pilota e sui dati di processo in ciascun sito. Con riferimento alle sedici categorie d’impatto considerate, “Produzione, installazione, smantellamento e fine vita degli elettrodi”, “Produzione e uso di prodotti chimici” e “Consumo di elettricità” sono risultati gli elementi chiave dell›impatto della tecnologia