Convergence and multiplicities for the Lempert function

Given a domain $\Omega \subset \mathbb C$, the Lempert function is a functional on the space Hol (\D,\Omega) of analytic disks with values in $\Omega$, depending on a set of poles in $\Omega$. We generalize its definition to the case where poles have multiplicities given by local indicators (in the sense of Rashkovskii's work) to obtain a function which still dominates the corresponding Green function, behaves relatively well under limits, and is monotonic with respect to the indicators. In particular, this is an improvement over the previous generalization used by the same authors to find an example of a set of poles in the bidisk so that the (usual) Green and Lempert functions differ.Comment: 24 pages; many typos corrected thanks to the referee of Arkiv for Matemati

Development and validation of two self-reported tools for insulin resistance and hypertension risk assessment in a European cohort : the Feel4Diabetes-study

Early identification of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension (HTN) risk may improve prevention and promote public health. Implementation of self-reported scores for risk assessment provides an alternative cost-effective tool. The study aimed to develop and validate two easy-to-apply screening tools identifying high-risk individuals for insulin resistance (IR) and HTN in a European cohort. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric and clinical data obtained from 1581 and 1350 adults (baseline data from the Feel4Diabetes-study) were used for the European IR and the European HTN risk assessment index respectively. Body mass index, waist circumference, sex, age, breakfast consumption, alcohol, legumes and sugary drinks intake, physical activity and sedentary behavior were significantly correlated with Homeostatic Model Assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) and/or HTN and incorporated in the two models. For the IR index, the Area Under the Curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity for identifying individuals above the 75th and 95th of HOMA-IR percentiles were 0.768 (95%CI: 0.721–0.815), 0.720 and 0.691 and 0.828 (95%CI: 0.766–0.890), 0.696 and 0.778 respectively. For the HTN index, the AUC, sensitivity and specificity were 0.778 (95%CI: 0.680–0.876), 0.667 and 0.797. The developed risk assessment tools are easy-to-apply, valid, and low-cost, identifying European adults at high risk for developing T2DM or having HTN

STOVE: Seed treatments for organic vegetable production

The aim of the EU-financed research project „STOVE“ (Seed Treatments for Organic Vegetable Production) is to evaluate different methods potentially suited for seed treatment of vegetables in organic farming regarding their efficacy, to optimise these methods, and where feasible to combine them with each other. Scientists from seven European research institutions and a producer of organic vegetable seeds carry out the project

Making Code Voting Secure against Insider Threats using Unconditionally Secure MIX Schemes and Human PSMT Protocols

Code voting was introduced by Chaum as a solution for using a possibly infected-by-malware device to cast a vote in an electronic voting application. Chaum's work on code voting assumed voting codes are physically delivered to voters using the mail system, implicitly requiring to trust the mail system. This is not necessarily a valid assumption to make - especially if the mail system cannot be trusted. When conspiring with the recipient of the cast ballots, privacy is broken. It is clear to the public that when it comes to privacy, computers and "secure" communication over the Internet cannot fully be trusted. This emphasizes the importance of using: (1) Unconditional security for secure network communication. (2) Reduce reliance on untrusted computers. In this paper we explore how to remove the mail system trust assumption in code voting. We use PSMT protocols (SCN 2012) where with the help of visual aids, humans can carry out $\mod 10$ addition correctly with a 99\% degree of accuracy. We introduce an unconditionally secure MIX based on the combinatorics of set systems. Given that end users of our proposed voting scheme construction are humans we \emph{cannot use} classical Secure Multi Party Computation protocols. Our solutions are for both single and multi-seat elections achieving: \begin{enumerate}[i)] \item An anonymous and perfectly secure communication network secure against a $t$-bounded passive adversary used to deliver voting, \item The end step of the protocol can be handled by a human to evade the threat of malware. \end{enumerate} We do not focus on active adversaries

Suomen metsästäjämäärien taustatekijöiden selvittäminen: määrän vaihtelu riistakeskusalueittain

Tiivistelmä Metsästäjien runsas määrä on keskeinen tekijä toimivalle riistanhoidolle. Ilman riittävää metsästäjämäärää hirvieläinkantojen hoitaminen ei onnistuisi. Metsästäjien määrä on ratkaiseva myös taloudellisesta näkökulmasta. Metsästäjien maksamat riistanhoitomaksut ja pyyntilupamaksut ovat tärkeitä esimerkiksi riistahallinnon ylläpitoa ajatellen, riistavahinkojen ehkäisemistä ja korvaamista ajatellen sekä riistantutkimusta ajatellen. Suomessa metsästys on yhteiskunnallisesti hyväksytty harrastus, joka tuottaa paitsi saaliin arvon myös virkistysarvoa, edistäen terveyttä. Suomessa metsästäjämäärät ovat valtakunnallisesti pysyneet suhteellisen samana vuosikymmenten ajan, mutta eroja löytyy riistakeskusalueiden (RKA) välillä. Joillakin riistakeskusalueilla metsästäjämäärät ovat laskeneet ja toisilla kasvaneet tai pysyneet samana. Syyt metsästäjämäärien nousuihin ja laskuihin olisi tärkeää tuntea, jotta määriä voitaisiin ennakoida ja mahdollisesti myös lisätä. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin eri riistakeskusalueiden metsästäjämääriä (1990–2023), uusien metsästäjien määriä (2013–2023), väestöä (1990–2023), saalismääriä (1996–2022) ja muita tekijöitä, kuten väestökehitystä, syntyvyyttä ja ikä- sekä sukupuolijakaumaa, jotka saattavat vaikuttaa metsästäjämääriin. Tämä tutkimus on osa Suomen riistakeskuksen Hyvinvointia riistataloudesta -osaprosessin Hyvinvointia hirvieläimistä 2022–2024 -hanketta, joka on maa- ja metsätalousministeriön rahoittama. Väestön ja metsästäjämäärien kehitystä tarkasteltiin visuaalisesti sekä tilastollisin menetelmin. Tilastotestien perusteella suurimmat erot metsästäjämäärissä ovat riistakeskusalueiden välillä. Alueiden välillä metsästäjämääriin vaikuttavat väestön määrä sekä hirvi- ja jänissaaliit. Erityisesti alueilla, joilla hirvi- ja jänissaaliin määrä metsästäjää kohti on korkea, on enemmän metsästäjiä. Metsästäjämäärien vuotuisiin vaihteluihin vaikuttavat erityisesti väestön määrä, hirvisaaliit, valkohäntäpeurasaaliit, jänissaaliit sekä sepelkyyhkysaaliit. Vaikka vuotuiset erot ovat tilastollisesti merkitseviä, vaikutukset eivät ole yhtä vahvoja kuin alueiden välillä. Uusien metsästäjien määrän muutokset ovat samankaltaisia kuin metsästäjienkin. Vuotuisiin vaihteluihin ei kuitenkaan liity väestö, vaan ainoastaan hirvisaalis sekä valkohäntäpeurasaalis. Vaikka metsästäjien kokonaismäärä on pysynyt vakaana pitkällä aikavälillä (33 vuotta), viimeisen vuosikymmenen aikana eli vuosien 2013 ja 2023 välillä, metsästäjien määrä on alkanut laskemaan usealla riistakeskusalueella. Erityisesti harvaan asutuilla alueilla, joilla väestö vähenee ja syntyvyys laskee, metsästäjämäärien väheneminen voi olla tulevaisuuden trendi. Väestön väheneminen ja syntyvyyden lasku vaikuttavatkin merkittävästi metsästäjämääriin, mikä voi johtaa metsästäjien keski-iän nousuun ja kulttuurin heikentymiseen. Väestön muutokset, kuten kaupungistuminen ja väestön ikärakenteen muutos, ovat keskeisiä tekijöitä metsästäjämäärien taustalla. Lisäksi saaliskantojen runsaus vaikuttaa merkittävästi metsästystyksen houkuttelevuuteen ja siten metsästäjämääriin. Väestö ja riistaeläinkannat eivät kuitenkaan ole ainoita metsästäjämäärään vaikuttavia tekijöitä. Tulevaisuudessa olisikin tärkeää tutkia tarkemmin sosiaalisia tekijöitä, kuten syitä metsästysharrastuksen aloittamiseen ja metsästysseuroihin liittymiseen, erityisesti niiden kohdalla, joilla ei ole valmiiksi kontaktia metsästykseen. Alueilla, joilla väestö ja syntyvyys vähenevät, voi olla haasteellista ylläpitää nykyisiä metsästäjämääriä pitkän aikavälin saatossa. Tämän vuoksi olisi tärkeää suunnata toimenpiteitä ja resursseja nuorten metsästäjien rekrytointiin ja harrastuksen edistämiseen, jotta metsästyskulttuuri säilyy elinvoimaisena tulevaisuudessa. Erityistä huomiota tulisi kiinnittää nuorten metsästäjien rekrytointiin harvaan asutuilla alueilla. Lisäksi olisi hyödyllistä ymmärtää paremmin, mitkä tekijät kannustavat naisia metsästämään, sillä naisten osuus metsästäjistä on kasvanut merkittävästi 1990-luvulta lähtien. Tämä tieto voi auttaa metsästyskulttuuria pysymään elinvoimaisena ja monimuotoisena myös tulevaisuudessa. Riistakantojen hoidossa tulisi kiinnittää huomiota taloudellisiin, sosiaalisiin ja ekologisiin tekijöihin, jotta voidaan varmistaa sekä riistakantojen että metsästäjäyhteisöjen elinvoimaisuus tulevaisuudessa.Abstract Investigating the Background Factors of the Number of Hunters in Finland: Why the Number Varies Differently Between Different Wildlife Agency Regions The large number of hunters is a crucial factor for effective game management. Without a sufficient number of hunters, managing cervid populations would not be possible. The number of hunters is crucial also from an economic perspective. The game management fees and hunting permit fees paid by hunters are important, for example, for maintaining wildlife management, preventing and compensating for wildlife damage, as well as for wildlife research. In Finland, hunting is a socially accepted activity that not only provides the value of game meat but also recreational benefits, promoting health. Nationally, the number of hunters in Finland has remained relatively stable over the decades, but there are differences between game management and wildlife agency regions. In some areas, hunter numbers have decreased, while in others, they have either increased or remained the same. Understanding the reasons behind the fluctuations in hunter numbers is important for predicting and potentially increasing the numbers. This study examined hunter numbers (1990–2023), new hunter numbers (2013–2023), demography data (1990–2023), game harvests (1996–2022), and other factors, such as population development, birth rate, and age and gender distribution across different wildlife agency regions to investigate their influence on the number of hunters. This study is part of the Finnish Wildlife Agency's 'Well-being from Game Economy' sub-process project 'Well-being from Cervids 2022–2024.' The project is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Demography and hunter numbers were analysed both visually and using statistical methods. According to the statistical tests, the largest differences in hunter numbers are between wildlife agency regions. Regionally, hunter numbers are influenced by demography and the harvests of moose and hare. Particularly in areas where the number of hunted animals per hunter is high, there are more hunters. Annual variations in hunter numbers are affected by demography, moose harvests, white-tailed deer harvests, hare harvests, and common wood pigeon harvests. While the annual differences are statistically significant, they are not as strong as the regional changes. Changes in the number of new hunters are similar to those of existing hunters. However, annual variations are influenced by moose and white-tailed deer harvests rather than demography. Although the total number of hunters has remained stable over the long term (33 years), there has been a decline in hunter numbers in several wildlife agency regions over the past decade, between 2013 and 2023. This trend is particularly evident in sparsely populated areas where both the population and birth rates are declining. The decrease in population and birth rates significantly impacts hunter numbers, potentially leading to an increase in the average age of hunters and a weakening of hunting culture. Population changes, such as urbanization and demographic shifts, are key factors behind hunter numbers. Additionally, the abundance of game populations significantly affects the attractiveness of hunting and thus hunter numbers. However, demography and game animal abundance are not the only factors affecting hunter numbers. In the future, it will be important to study social factors in more detail, such as the reasons for starting hunting and joining hunting clubs, especially for those without prior contacts in hunting. In areas with declining human populations and birth rates, maintaining current hunter numbers over the long term may be challenging. Therefore, it is crucial to direct efforts and resources towards recruiting young hunters and promoting the activity to ensure the vitality of hunting culture in the future. Special attention should be given to recruiting young hunters in sparsely populated areas. It would be particularly useful to better understand what motivates women to hunt, as the proportion of female hunters has increased significantly since the 1990s. This knowledge can help maintain a vibrant and diverse hunting culture in the future. In game management, economic, social, and ecological factors should be considered to ensure the sustainability of both game populations and hunter communities

Estimating preharvest density, adult sex ratio, and fecundity of white-tailed deer using noninvasive sampling techniques

Adult sex ratio and fecundity (juveniles per female) are key population parameters in sustainable wildlife management, but inferring these requires abundance estimates of at least three age/sex classes of the population (male and female adults and juveniles). Prior to harvest, we used an array of 36 wildlife camera traps during 2 and 3 weeks in the early autumn of 2016 and 2017, respectively. We recorded white-tailed deer adult males, adult females, and fawns from the pictures. Simultaneously, we collected fecal DNA (fDNA) from 92 20 m x 20 m plots placed in 23 clusters of four plots between the camera traps. We identified individuals from fDNA samples with microsatellite markers and estimated the total sex ratio and population density using spatial capture-recapture (SCR). The fDNA-SCR analysis concluded equal sex ratio in the first year and female bias in the second year, and no difference in space use between sexes (fawns and adults combined). Camera information was analyzed in a spatial capture (SC) framework assuming an informative prior for animals' space use, either (a) as estimated by fDNA-SCR (same for all age/sex classes), (b) as assumed from the literature (space use of adult males larger than adult females and fawns), or (c) by inferring adult male space use from individually identified males from the camera pictures. These various SC approaches produced plausible inferences on fecundity, but also inferred total density to be lower than the estimate provided by fDNA-SCR in one of the study years. SC approaches where adult male and female were allowed to differ in their space use suggested the population had a female-biased adult sex ratio. In conclusion, SC approaches allowed estimating the preharvest population parameters of interest and provided conservative density estimates

The extent of neuroradiological findings in COVID-19 shows correlation with blood biomarkers, Glasgow coma scale score and days in intensive care

Background and purpose: A wide range of neuroradiological findings has been reported in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), ranging from subcortical white matter changes to infarcts, haemorrhages and focal contrast media enhancement. These have been descriptively but inconsistently reported and correlations with clinical findings and biomarkers have been difficult to extract from the literature. The purpose of this study was to quantify the extents of neuroradiological findings in a cohort of patients with COVID-19 and neurological symptoms, and to investigate correlations with clinical findings, duration of intensive care and biomarkers in blood. Material and methods: Patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 and at least one new-onset neurological symptom were included from April until July 2020. Nineteen patients were examined regarding clinical symptoms, biomarkers in blood and MRI of the brain. In order to quantify the MRI findings, a semi-quantitative neuroradiological severity scale was constructed a priori, and applied to the MR images by two specialists in neuroradiology. Results and conclusions: The score from the severity scale correlated significantly with blood biomarkers of CNS injury (glial fibrillary acidic protein, total-tau, ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1) and inflammation (C-reactive protein), Glasgow Coma Scale score, and the number of days spent in intensive care. The underlying radiological assessments had inter-rater agreements of 90.5%/86% (for assessments with 2/3 alternatives). Total intraclass correlation was 0.80. Previously reported neuroradiological findings in COVID-19 have been diverse and heterogenous. In this study, the extent of findings in MRI examination of the brain, quantified using a structured report, shows correlation with relevant biomarkers

Maternal sleep quality during pregnancy is associated with neonatal auditory ERPs

Poor maternal sleep quality during pregnancy may act as a prenatal stress factor for the fetus and associate with neonate neurocognition, for example via fetal programming. The impacts of worsened maternal sleep on neonatal development and, more specifically on neonatal auditory brain responses, have not been studied. A total of 155 mother-neonate dyads drawn from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study participated in our study including maternal self-report questionnaires on sleep at gestational week 24 and an event-related potential (ERP) measurement among 1-2-day-old neonates. For sleep quality assessment, the Basic Nordic Sleep Questionnaire (BNSQ) was used and calculated scores for (1) insomnia, (2) subjective sleep loss and (3) sleepiness were formed and applied in the analyses. In the auditory ERP protocol, three emotionally uttered pseudo words (in happy, angry and sad valence) were presented among neutrally uttered pseudo words. To study the relations between prenatal maternal sleep quality and auditory emotion-related ERP responses, mixed-effects regression models were computed for early (100-200 ms) and late (300-500 ms) ERP response time-windows. All of the selected BNSQ scores were associated with neonatal ERP responses for happy and angry emotion stimuli (sleep loss and sleepiness in the early, and insomnia, sleep loss and sleepiness in the late time-window). For sad stimuli, only maternal sleep loss predicted the neonatal ERP response in the late time-window, likely because the overall ERP was weakest in the sad condition. We conclude that maternal sleep quality during pregnancy is associated with changes in neonatal auditory ERP responses.Peer reviewe