Sex, Gewalt & schlechte Filme : Nachruf auf den italienischen "Maniac for the Movies" Joe D'Amato

Eigentlich sollte dieser Artikel ja ein Portrait des italienischen Filmemachers Joe D’Amato als "das typische Beispiel für Pornoregisseure" werden. Dann erfuhr ich jedoch aus einem Splatter-Fanzine (wo sollte man solche Infos auch sonst her bekommen?), dass D’Amato im Januar diesen Jahres das Zeitliche gesegnet hat. Und so entschloss ich mich kurzerhand, einen Nachruf zu schreiben. "Joe D’Amato" (eigentlich Aristide Massaccesi, am 15.12.36 in Italien geboren) ist nur eines - wenn auch das populärste der Regisseur-Pseudonyme unter dem fast 100 Filme hergestellt wurden. Nach eigenen Angaben hat er den Namen in einem Kalender gelesen und weil italienisch-amerikanische Namen (wie Martin Scorsese oder Brian de Palma) auf Zuschauer eben besser wirken als italienische, ist er letztlich zu seinem Markenzeichen geworden. Alle anderen Pseudonyme hier aufzuzählen würde den Platz einnehmen, den ich mir lieber für eine Würdigung seines Schaffens freihalten möchte

Southern Africa: Retrospect and Prospect

Opinion piece for Erik D’Amato

Short Description of the Mines of Precious Stones, in the District of Kyat-pyen, in the Kingdom of Ava, by Pere Giuseppe d'Amato, edited by Michael W. Charney

This first-hand communication from Giuseppe d’Amato appears to have been written originally in Italian. It was translated for publication in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1833, although the translator’s name is not provided. However short this account, it provides valuable detailed information mining in royal Burma as well as a few hints concerning Chinese traders in Upper Burma

Comparing Rough Set Theory with Multiple Regression Analysis as Automated Valuation Methodologies

This paper focuses on the problem of applying rough set theory to mass appraisal. This methodology was first introduced by a Polish mathematician, and has been applied recently as an automated valuation methodology by the author. The method allows the appraiser to estimate a property without defining econometric modeling, although it does not give any quantitative estimation of marginal prices. In a previous paper by the author, data were organized into classes prior to the valuation process, allowing for the if-then, or right “rule” for each property class to be defined. In that work, the relationship between property and class of valued was said to be dichotomic.mass appraisal; property valuation; rough set theory; valued tolerance relation

Disruption of Life Insurance Profitability in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic

5noopenLife insurance profitability depends on reliable mortality risk projections and pricing. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions around the world, this is a temporary mortality shock likely to dissipate. In this paper, we investigate the long-run impact of COVID-19 on life insurance profitability. Due to the long-run dynamics of the mortality characterised by a decreasing effect of the COVID-19 mortality acceleration, we suggest proactive mortality risk management by implementing prompt premium adjustments, in order to increase the resilience of the business.openCarannante, M.; D’Amato, V.; Fersini, P.; Forte, S.; MelisiCarannante, M.; D’Amato, V.; Fersini, P.; Forte, S.; Melisi

The mortality of the Italian population: Smoothing techniques on the Lee--Carter model

Several approaches have been developed for forecasting mortality using the stochastic model. In particular, the Lee-Carter model has become widely used and there have been various extensions and modifications proposed to attain a broader interpretation and to capture the main features of the dynamics of the mortality intensity. Hyndman-Ullah show a particular version of the Lee-Carter methodology, the so-called Functional Demographic Model, which is one of the most accurate approaches as regards some mortality data, particularly for longer forecast horizons where the benefit of a damped trend forecast is greater. The paper objective is properly to single out the most suitable model between the basic Lee-Carter and the Functional Demographic Model to the Italian mortality data. A comparative assessment is made and the empirical results are presented using a range of graphical analyses.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/10-AOAS394 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Early handling and repeated cross-fostering have opposite effect on mouse emotionality

Early life events have a crucial role in programming the individual phenotype and exposure to traumatic experiences during infancy can increase later risk for a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions, including mood and anxiety disorders. Animal models of postnatal stress have been developed in rodents to explore molecular mechanisms responsible for the observed short and long lasting neurobiological effects of such manipulations. The main aim of this study was to compare the behavioral and hormonal phenotype of young and adult animals exposed to different postnatal treatments. Outbred mice were exposed to (i) the classical Handling protocol (H: 15 min-day of separation from the mother from day 1 to 14 of life) or to (ii) a Repeated Cross-Fostering protocol (RCF: adoption of litters from day 1 to 4 of life by different dams). Handled mice received more maternal care in infancy and showed the already described reduced emotionality at adulthood. Repeated cross fostered animals did not differ for maternal care received, but showed enhanced sensitivity to separation from the mother in infancy and altered respiratory response to 6% CO2 in breathing air in comparison with controls. Abnormal respiratory responses to hypercapnia are commonly found among humans with panic disorders (PD), and point to RCF-induced instability of the early environment as a valid developmental model for PD. The comparisons between short-and long-term effects of postnatal handling vs. RCF indicate that different types of early adversities are associated with different behavioral profiles, and evoke psychopathologies that can be distinguished according to the neurobiological systems disrupted by early-life manipulation

The Unintended Consequences of Enhancing Gun Penalties: Shooting Down the Commerce Clause and Arming Federal Prosecutors

The objective of this work is to derive an MIQP solver tailored for MPC. The MIQP solver is built on the branch and bound method, where QP relaxations of the original problem are solved in the nodes of a binary search tree. The difference between the subproblems is often small and therefore it is interesting to be able to use a previous solution as a starting point in a new subproblem. This is referred to as a warm start of the solver. Because of its good warm start properties, a dual active set QP method was chosen. The method is tailored for MPC by solving a part of the KKT system using a Riccati recursion, which makes the computational complexity of the QP iterations grow linearly with the prediction horizon. Simulation results are presented both for the QP solver itself and when it is incorporated as a part of the MIQP solver. In both cases the computational complexity is significantly reduced compared to if a primal active set solver not utilizing structure is used

Stand Dynamics and Disturbance History of Champlain Valley Clayplain Forests

Studies of stand dynamics can explain how species interactions and disturbances drive forest structure and recruitment patterns of tree species. It is difficult to generate an understanding of stand dynamics and successional trends of forests in areas that have a long history of intense land use such as the Champlain Valley of Vermont, where over 230 years of agricultural activity has acutely and permanently influenced the landscape. The valley clayplain forest, a rare natural community containing endangered herbaceous plants and overstory tree species assemblages that are rare in Vermont, has been fragmented by agricultural use of the Champlain Valley. This study used dendroecological methods and assessments of forest structural conditions to describe the tree recruitment history and structural dynamics of two old-growth valley clayplain forest patches. Our results indicate that the valley clayplain forest has a species composition and recruitment history that has been heavily influenced by human land use throughout at least the past 230 years. We found that Quercus spp., typically considered characteristic of the valley clayplain forest, are being replaced by late-successional species such as Tsuga canadensis. Additionally, other human influences such as invasive species threaten to further alter the composition and dynamics of valley clayplain forests in the near future

VGF changes during the estrous cycle: a novel endocrine role for TLQP peptides?

Although the VGF derived peptide TLQP-21 stimulates gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotropin secretion, available data on VGF peptides and reproduction are limited. We used antibodies specific for the two ends of the VGF precursor, and for two VGF derived peptides namely TLQP and PGH, to be used in immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay complemented with gel chromatography. In cycling female rats, VGF C-/N-terminus and PGH peptide antibodies selectively labelled neurones containing either GnRH, or kisspeptin (VGF N-terminus only), pituitary gonadotrophs and lactotrophs, or oocytes (PGH peptides only). Conversely, TLQP peptides were restricted to somatostatin neurones, gonadotrophs, and ovarian granulosa, interstitial and theca cells. TLQP levels were highest, especially in plasma and ovary, with several molecular forms shown in chromatography including one compatible with TLQP-21. Among the cycle phases, TLQP levels were higher during metestrus-diestrus in median eminence and pituitary, while increased in the ovary and decreased in plasma during proestrus. VGF N- and C-terminus peptides also showed modulations over the estrous cycle, in median eminence, pituitary and plasma, while PGH peptides did not. In ovariectomised rats, plasmatic TLQP peptide levels showed distinct reduction suggestive of a major origin from the ovary, while the estrogen-progesterone treatment modulated VGF C-terminus and TLQP peptides in the hypothalamus-pituitary complex. In in vitro hypothalamus, TLQP-21 stimulated release of growth hormone releasing hormone but not of somatostatin. In conclusion, various VGF peptides may regulate the hypothalamus-pituitary complex via specific neuroendocrine mechanisms while TLQP peptides may act at further, multiple levels via endocrine mechanisms involving the ovary