Integral representation and Γ\Gamma-convergence for free-discontinuity problems with p(⋅)p(\cdot)-growth

An integral representation result for free-discontinuity energies defined on the space $GSBV^{p(\cdot)}$ of generalized special functions of bounded variation with variable exponent is proved, under the assumption of log-H\"older continuity for the variable exponent $p(x)$. Our analysis is based on a variable exponent version of the global method for relaxation devised in Bouchitt\`e, Fonseca, Leoni and Mascarenhas '98 for a constant exponent. We prove $\Gamma$-convergence of sequences of energies of the same type, we identify the limit integrands in terms of asymptotic cell formulas and prove a non-interaction property between bulk and surface contributions

Brain Drain and Technologies in the Social Justice New Policies of Ecuador

In this article, we want to denounce how the politics of the global economy of knowledge have built an inter-state-dependent geography, which reinforces unfair access to the valorization of knowledge on a global scale. National governments participate in the systemic organization of collective intelligence when dealing in intellectual property rights (whether controlling markets or favouring monopolization) and regulating education institutions, universities and research centres. The brain migration flows indicate the close complex articulations and interactions between higher education sectors, economic policies and national interests in science and technology, RandD and ICT on the one hand, and the competitive strategies and global influences of the wealthier countries on the other. In this scenario, knowledge, science and technology public policies in Ecuador rely on growth patterns, which assumes a structural cognitive deficit, complicated by globally and regionally spread cognitive unfairness. Such policies attempt to strategically relocalize the country, in hegemony terms, in the international division of knowledge

Prvi podaci o staništu, prehrani i dužinsko-masenom odnosu vrste Gobius incognitus Kovačić & Šanda, 2016 (Pisces: Gobiidae)

In this work, we present first data on biological and ecological aspects of Gobius incognitus from specimens from the Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean Sea). In particular, we provided first data on habitat preference, diet and length-weight relationship of G. incognitus on material with confirmed species identity. The species preferred “mixed bottom” (sand and rocks), where it reached relatively high abundances. The diet analysis showed that G. incognitus is a generalist and opportunistic feeder. However, small benthic crustaceans were the most important prey group. The mean total length of specimens was 6.72 ± 1.85 cm and the growth was positive allometric.U ovom radu iznose se prvi podatci o biološkim i ekološkim značajkama vrste Gobius incognitus na temelju uzoraka iz Jonskog mora (središnji dio Sredozemnog mora). Posebno se ističu podatci o staništu, prehrani i dužnsko - masenom odnosu. Vrsta Gobius incognituspreferirala je „miješano dno“ (pijesak i stijene), gdje je dostigla relativno veliku brojnost. Analiza prehrane pokazala je da G. incognitus slijedi oportunistički način prehrane. Međutim, mali bentoski rakovi bili su najvažniji plijen. Srednja ukupna dužina iznosila je 6,72 ± 1,85 cm, a rast je bio alometrijski pozitivan

On the Analysis of Effectiveness in a Manufacturing Cell: A Critical Implementation of Existing Approaches

Abstract OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) is a widely used indicator in the evaluation of effectiveness of manufacturing systems. However, several authors published alternative approaches for its computation, complicating the implementation step for practitioners. This study analyses the literature regarding OEE, selects four main methodologies for its evaluation and examines the underlying differences between them. A real life case study is analysed to illustrate problems arising during data collection and the differences in results obtained, together with traceable conclusions for improving the performance of production systems, both in traditional and in innovative industrial plants, following Industry 4.0 principles

Label information and consumer behaviour: evidence on drinking milk sector

AbstractThe purpose of the research is to evaluate the impact of different kinds of information disclosures of milk labels, investigating the interest among consumers based on their consumption behaviours and characteristics. In this research, all the actions which lead to a healthiness, become expressions of a production process, among which consumers' food choices, purchase, preparation, and also self-production. Therefore, in the "health creation" production process, information and knowledge about food become "investments". In this context, label disclosures become a tangible expression of this kind of "investment". The research question is: what impact do purchase preferences and consumers' characteristics have on their interest towards the label information provided? Several information disclosures, both mandatory and voluntary, are investigated. Therefore, some choice attributes will be analysed as indicators of the consumer's behaviour in relation to his investment in food information. The methodology used for the analysis is an Ordered Logit. The analysis of the consumer's behaviour has been performed by transposing Ménard's analysis of firm corporate governance (Ménard, Agribus. 34:142–160, 2018) to the consumer as producer of welfare equity. The reduction of information asymmetry is a cost for the producer, and this research may be able to measure how much it would be convenient to invest in this reduction, based on the analysis of the consumer's behaviour toward his personal investment in food information acquisition

Novi zapisi dviju bitnica s jugoistočne obale Sicilije (Jonsko more) i razmatranja o njihovoj prisutnosti i obilju

New records of Pseudocaranx dentex (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) and Seriola fasciata (Bloch, 1793) are reported from the Mediterranean Sea. During the period 2013-2017, we have collected several records of both species from the south-east coast of Sicily (Ionian Sea). On the basis of our and published data, we can consider S. fasciata as a relatively common species in the area, commonly caught with purse seine around FADs in summer and autumn; while, P. dentex remains basically a rare species, occasionally caught with trammel nets or gillnets. This work represents the first well-documented records of both carangid species in the south-east coast of Sicily.U ovom radu se iznosi novi nalaz šnjurka Pseudocaranx dentex (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) i Seriola fasciata (Bloch, 1793) u Sredozemnom moru. Tijekom razdoblja 2013.-2017. autori su za obje vrste prikupili nekoliko zapisa o nalazu s jugoistočne obale Sicilije (Jonsko more). Na temelju autorskih i drugih objavljenih podataka, S. fasciata može se smatrati relativno čestom vrstom na tom području, obično uhvaćenom mrežom plivaricom oko FAD-ova u ljeto i jesen; dok je P. dentex rijetka vrsta povremeno ulovljena trostrukim ili jednostrukim mrežama stajaćicama. U ovom se radu iznose dokumentirani nalazi obje bitnice na jugoistočnoj obali Sicilije

FlowSort-GDSS:a novel group multi-criteria decision support system for sorting problems with application to FMEA

Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a well-known approach for correlating the failure modes of a system to their effects, with the objective of assessing their criticality. The criticality of a failure mode is traditionally established by its risk priority number (RPN), which is the product of the scores assigned to the three risk factors, which are likeness of occurrence, the chance of being undetected and the severity of the effects. Taking a simple "unweighted" product has major shortcomings. One of them is to provide just a number, which does not sort failures modes into priority classes. Moreover, to make the decision more robust, the FMEA is better tackled by multiple decision-makers. Unfortunately, the literature lacks group decision support systems (GDSS) for sorting failures in the field of the FMEA. In this paper, a novel multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method named FlowSort-GDSS is proposed to sort the failure modes into priority classes by involving multiple decision-makers. The essence of this method lies in the pair-wise comparison between the failure modes and the reference profiles established by the decision-makers on the risk factors. Finally a case study is presented to illustrate the advantages of this new robust method in sorting failures

Assessment of Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase1 (PARP1) expression and activity in cells purified from blood and milk of dairy cattle

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PAR) is a post-translational protein modification catalysed by enzyme member of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) family. The activation of several PARPs is triggered by DNA strand breakage and the main PARP enzyme involved in this process is PARP1. Besides its involvement in DNA repair, PARP1 is involved in several cellular processes including transcription, epigenetics, chromatin re-modelling as well as in the maintenance of genomic stability. Moreover, several studies in human and animal models showed PARP1 activation in various inflammatory disorders. The aims of the study were (1) to characterize PARP1 expression in bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and (2) to evaluate PAR levels as a potential inflammatory marker in cells isolated from blood and milk samples following different types of infection, including mastitis. Our results show that (i) bovine PBMC express PARP1; (ii) lymphocytes exhibit higher expression of PARP1 than monocytes; (iii) PARP1 and PAR levels were higher in circulating PBMCs of infected cows; (iv) PAR levels were higher in cells isolated from milk with higher Somatic Cell Counts (SCC > 100,000 cells/mL) than in cells from milk with low SCCs. In conclusion, these findings suggest that PARP1 is activated during mastitis, which may prove to be a useful biomarker of mastitis