New polytope decompositions and Euler-Maclaurin formulas for simple integral polytopes

We use a version of localization in equivariant cohomology for the norm-square of the moment map, described by Paradan, to give several weighted decompositions for simple polytopes. As an application, we study Euler-Maclaurin formulas.Comment: Revision: changed content of last theorem; corrected typo

How inventor royalty shares affect patenting and income in Portugal and Spain

Portuguese and Spanish universities have adopted well-defined royalty sharing schedules during the last fifteen years. We investigate whether these inventor royalty shares have been effective at stimulating inventors’ efforts and ultimately improving university outcomes. We base our empirical analysis on university-level data as well as on new self-collected surveys completed by inventors and Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). Econometric evidence from the university-level data set indicates that royalty shares have no impact on patenting or licensing income. The same result emerges from the inventors’ survey, with most respondents claiming to be largely unaffected by royalty sharing. Evidence from both the TTO and inventors’ surveys suggests that inventors do not react to royalty sharing because of the poor commercial prospects of their inventions, which means there is little income to be shared. These poor prospects appear to reflect the fact that the TTOs do not focus sufficiently on commercializing inventions and inventors are unable to produce potentially licensable inventions

Collagen Density Regulates Tumour Spheroid Growth Through Cell Motility: A Computational Study

We aim to define the role of matrix density on tumour growth through a discrete computational framework. We integrate experimental data to characterize the dynamics of individual cellular movement, accounting for the mechanical properties of the ECM, and we evaluate how the emerging trends modulate the growth of multicellular structures

CIRCUITOS ESPACIAIS DA PRODUÇÃO E ECONOMIA DO PETRÓLEO NO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO: AS TRANSFORMAÇÕES TERRITORIAIS POR AÇÃO DOS NÍVEIS SUPERIORES DA ECONOMIA

O objetivo deste artigo é, a partir da geografia econômica, debater as transformações territoriais recentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro. Para atingir tal intento, privilegiando a análise do intenso processo de integração territorial em lugar da fragmentação que caracteriza as economias em rede, desenvolvemos uma exposição sobre as bases econômicas das atividades mobilizadoras da transformação territorial em curso. Por fim, é importante empreender uma identificação dos eixos produtivos resultantes das transformações territoriais recentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro

Collagen Density Regulates Tumour Spheroid Growth Through Cell Motility: A Computational Study

We aim to define the role of matrix density on tumour growth through a discrete computational framework. We integrate experimental data to characterize the dynamics of individual cellular movement, accounting for the mechanical properties of the ECM, and we evaluate how the emerging trends modulate the growth of multicellular structures

[Work in progress] Scalable, out-of-the box segmentation of individual particles from mineral samples acquired with micro CT

Minerals are indispensable for a functioning modern society. Yet, their supply is limited causing a need for optimizing their exploration and extraction both from ores and recyclable materials. Typically, these processes must be meticulously adapted to the precise properties of the processed particles, an extensive characterization of their shapes, appearances as well as the overall material composition. Current approaches perform this analysis based on bulk segmentation and characterization of particles imaged with a micro CT, and rely on rudimentary postprocessing techniques to separate touching particles. However, due to their inability to reliably perform this separation as well as the need to retrain or reconfigure methods for each new image, these approaches leave untapped potential to be leveraged. Here, we propose ParticleSeg3D, an instance segmentation method that is able to extract individual particles from large micro CT images taken from mineral samples embedded in an epoxy matrix. Our approach is based on the powerful nnU-Net framework, introduces a particle size normalization, makes use of a border-core representation to enable instance segmentation and is trained with a large dataset containing particles of numerous different materials and minerals. We demonstrate that ParticleSeg3D can be applied out-of-the box to a large variety of particle types, including materials and appearances that have not been part of the training set. Thus, no further manual annotations and retraining are required when applying the method to new mineral samples, enabling substantially higher scalability of experiments than existing methods. Our code and dataset are made publicly available

Normal incidence sound insulation provided by Sonic Crystal Acoustic Screens made from rigid scatterers - assessment of different simulation methods

[EN] Sonic crystal acoustic screens have been in progressive research and development in the last two decades as a technical solution for mitigating traffic noise. Their behaviour is quite different from that observed in classical barriers, with the latter being based on physically blocking the direct sound propagation path (only allowing diffracted noise to reach sensible receivers), and sonic crystals providing attenuation efficiency based on the creation of "band-gaps" at specific frequency ranges, due to the Bragg's interference phenomenon. The distinct physical mechanisms of these two types of noise barriers complicates the use of classical simplified or even numerical models developed for traditional barriers to simulate and predict the attenuation performance of a sonic crystal, and alternative methods become thus required. In the acoustics scientific literature, several authors have proposed estimation and simulation methods based on different numerical tools to predict the sound insulation provided by these new noise abatement solutions. This paper presents a comparative evaluation of some of these methods, with emphasis on the assessment of their accuracy versus memory usage in order to determine which one is the most suitable for optimization methodologies in the design of new devices with improved acoustic performance.M.P.P.T is grateful for the support of pre-doctoral Grant by the "Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades. Agencia Estatal de Investigacion" of Spain through reference no. DI-15-08100. This work has been supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades, Spain, under grant RTI2018-096904-B-I00. This work was developed within the scope of the project with reference POCI-01-0247-FEDER-033691 - HLS -Hybrid Log Shield, supported by FEDER funds, through Portugal-2020 (PT2020) Programme, within the scope of SII&DT System, and by POCI Programme. This work was partly financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC) under the R&D Unit Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE), under reference UIDB/04029/2020.Peiró-Torres, M.; Ferri García, M.; Godinho, LM.; Amado-Mendes, P.; Vea-Folch, FJ.; Redondo, J. (2021). Normal incidence sound insulation provided by Sonic Crystal Acoustic Screens made from rigid scatterers - assessment of different simulation methods. Acta Acustica. 5:1-10. https://doi.org/10.1051/aacus/2021021110

Functional outcomes of traumatic and non-traumatic rotator cuff tears after arthroscopic repair

AIM To compare the functional outcomes of traumatic and non-traumatic rotator cuff tears after arthroscopic repair. METHODS Eighty-seven patients with rotator cuff tears following arthroscopic treatment were divided into traumatic and non-traumatic tear groups. Postoperative muscle strength and outcomes using the modified University of California, Los Angeles score were evaluated. Sex, age, affected limb and dominant limb were correlated between groups. Muscle strength of the repaired and unaffected shoulders was compared. Rotator cuff injury size was measured. RESULTS Of the 87 patients who underwent rotator cuff repairs, 35 had traumatic tears and 52 had non-traumatic tears. In patients with non-traumatic tears, the average age was 59 years, 74.5% were female, 96.1% were righthand dominant and 92.3% had their dominant shoulder affected. Patients with traumatic tears were 59.5 years hand dominant and 88.5% had their dominant shoulder affected. No difference existed in the mean modified University of California, Los Angeles score between patients with traumatic tears (33.7) compared with those with non-traumatic tears (32.8). No strength differences were observed between groups: The strength difference between the non-affected and affected sides was 1.21 kg in the non-traumatic group and 1.39 kg in the traumatic group (P = 0.576), while the strength ratio between the non-affected/affected sides was 0.805 in the nontraumatic group and 0.729 in the traumatic group (P = 0.224). CONCLUSION The functional results of traumatic rotator cuff repairs are similar to non-traumatic tears. Both outcomes are satisfactory.Univ Fed São Paulo, Orthoped & Traumatol Dept, Shoulder & Elbow Surg Sector Hand & Upper Limb Su, BR-04038030 São Paulo, SP, BrazilShoulder Surg Sector Hosp Ortoped Belo Horizon, BR-30210300 Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Fed São Paulo, Orthoped & Traumatol Dept, Shoulder & Elbow Surg Sector Hand & Upper Limb Su, BR-04038030 São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Lean manufacturing and business performance: testing the S-curve theory

This article makes a case for the importance of exploring patterns in the relationship between the adoption of lean manufacturing practices and business performance. This relationship has been described as ambiguous, because it has variously appeared to be positive, insignificant, and negative. Accordingly, this article tests this relationship for non-linearity and shows that it follows the S-Curve theory. A survey of manufacturing companies in an industrial cluster in Brazil was undertaken. This region faces infrastructural challenges, such as geographic distance between purchasers and suppliers and a shortage of skilled Labour. Despite the conditions, these companies have significantly improved their operational, financial, and environmental performance through the adoption of lean practices. Thus, this article contributes to the literature on lean manufacturing by: (a) furthering the debate on the relationship between lean practices and business performance, and testing its adherence to the S-curve theory by means of survey research; and (b) simultaneously testing operational, financial and environmental performance as a result of the adoption of lean manufacturing practices. As a consequence of the S-shaped relationship demonstrated, managers need to be aware of the presence of inertial and saturation points in the adoption of lean manufacturing practices, so they can correctly allocate resources for improving the adoption of lean practices