A role for descending auditory cortical projections in songbird vocal learning

Many learned motor behaviors are acquired by comparing ongoing behavior with an internal representation of correct performance, rather than using an explicit external reward. For example, juvenile songbirds learn to sing by comparing their song with the memory of a tutor song. At present, the brain regions subserving song evaluation are not known. In this study, we report several findings suggesting that song evaluation involves an avian 'cortical' area previously shown to project to the dopaminergic midbrain and other downstream targets. We find that this ventral portion of the intermediate arcopallium (AIV) receives inputs from auditory cortical areas, and that lesions of AIV result in significant deficits in vocal learning. Additionally, AIV neurons exhibit fast responses to disruptive auditory feedback presented during singing, but not during nonsinging periods. Our findings suggest that auditory cortical areas may guide learning by transmitting song evaluation signals to the dopaminergic midbrain and/or other subcortical targets.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01 MH067105

Ancient mitogenomes from Pre-Pottery Neolithic Central Anatolia and the effects of a Late Neolithic bottleneck in sheep (Ovis aries)

Occupied between ~10,300 and 9300 years ago, the Pre-Pottery Neolithic site of Aşıklı Höyük in Central Anatolia went through early phases of sheep domestication. Analysis of 629 mitochondrial genomes from this and numerous sites in Anatolia, southwest Asia, Europe, and Africa produced a phylogenetic tree with excessive coalescences (nodes) around the Neolithic, a potential signature of a domestication bottleneck. This is consistent with archeological evidence of sheep management at Aşıklı Höyük which transitioned from residential stabling to open pasturing over a millennium of site occupation. However, unexpectedly, we detected high genetic diversity throughout Aşıklı Höyük's occupation rather than a bottleneck. Instead, we detected a tenfold demographic bottleneck later in the Neolithic, which caused the fixation of mitochondrial haplogroup B in southwestern Anatolia. The mitochondrial genetic makeup that emerged was carried from the core region of early Neolithic sheep management into Europe and dominates the matrilineal diversity of both its ancient and the billion-strong modern sheep populations

Innovación Social en Latinoamérica

A lo largo de su historia las naciones latinoamericanas han enfrentado los problemas sociales desde el paradigma asistencialista donde la comunidad afectada por uno o más problemas sociales desempeña un rol pasivo y cuyo impacto es insuficiente. En este contexto, la Innovación Social emerge como nueva perspectiva que intenta cambiar dicho paradigma a través de la cocreación de iniciativas más eficientes, efectivas e inclusivas. Sin embargo, la literatura sobre este tema es todavía escasa en la región. Asimismo, la investigación y la formación de expertos en el área no es una prioridad, aunque paulatinamente comienza a considerarse un campo de acción. Este libro entrega una revisión del estado del arte de la Innovación Social en América Latina a través de diferentes artículos escritos por expertos latinoamericanos, además de la colaboración de autores europeos cuyos aportes amplían la visión sobre la temática en cuestión. De esta manera, el lector podrá encontrar información sobre el concepto y su aplicación práctica en el contexto regional, junto con algunos ejemplos internacionales que le permitan formarse una idea de la importancia de su difusión e implementación. La información acá contenida será de gran ayuda para docentes, investigadores, políticos, profesionales, emprendedores, voluntarios, dirigentes sociales, líderes comunitarios y todos aquellos interesados en la Innovación Social y sus alcances

Results of the first European Source Apportionment intercomparison for Receptor and Chemical Transport Models

In this study, the performance of the source apportionment model applications were evaluated by comparing the model results provided by 44 participants adopting a methodology based on performance indicators: z-scores and RMSEu, with pre-established acceptability criteria. Involving models based on completely different and independent input data, such as receptor models (RMs) and chemical transport models (CTMs), provided a unique opportunity to cross-validate them. In addition, comparing the modelled source chemical profiles, with those measured directly at the source contributed to corroborate the chemical profile of the tested model results. The most used RM was EPA- PMF5. RMs showed very good performance for the overall dataset (91% of z-scores accepted) and more difficulties are observed with SCE time series (72% of RMSEu accepted). Industry resulted the most problematic source for RMs due to the high variability among participants. Also the results obtained with CTMs were quite comparable to their ensemble reference using all models for the overall average (>92% of successful z-scores) while the comparability of the time series is more problematic (between 58% and 77% of the candidates’ RMSEu are accepted). In the CTM models a gap was observed between the sum of source contributions and the gravimetric PM10 mass likely due to PM underestimation in the base case. Interestingly, when only the tagged species CTM results were used in the reference, the differences between the two CTM approaches (brute force and tagged species) were evident. In this case the percentage of candidates passing the z-score and RMSEu tests were only 50% and 86%, respectively. CTMs showed good comparability with RMs for the overall dataset (83% of the z-scores accepted), more differences were observed when dealing with the time series of the single source categories. In this case the share of successful RMSEu was in the range 25% - 34%.JRC.C.5-Air and Climat

Creative destruction in science

Drawing on the concept of a gale of creative destruction in a capitalistic economy, we argue that initiatives to assess the robustness of findings in the organizational literature should aim to simultaneously test competing ideas operating in the same theoretical space. In other words, replication efforts should seek not just to support or question the original findings, but also to replace them with revised, stronger theories with greater explanatory power. Achieving this will typically require adding new measures, conditions, and subject populations to research designs, in order to carry out conceptual tests of multiple theories in addition to directly replicating the original findings. To illustrate the value of the creative destruction approach for theory pruning in organizational scholarship, we describe recent replication initiatives re-examining culture and work morality, working parents\u2019 reasoning about day care options, and gender discrimination in hiring decisions. Significance statement It is becoming increasingly clear that many, if not most, published research findings across scientific fields are not readily replicable when the same method is repeated. Although extremely valuable, failed replications risk leaving a theoretical void\u2014 reducing confidence the original theoretical prediction is true, but not replacing it with positive evidence in favor of an alternative theory. We introduce the creative destruction approach to replication, which combines theory pruning methods from the field of management with emerging best practices from the open science movement, with the aim of making replications as generative as possible. In effect, we advocate for a Replication 2.0 movement in which the goal shifts from checking on the reliability of past findings to actively engaging in competitive theory testing and theory building. Scientific transparency statement The materials, code, and data for this article are posted publicly on the Open Science Framework, with links provided in the article

Μελέτη της συνεισφοράς των ανθρωπογενών και φυσικών εκπομπών στα επίπεδα ατμοσφαιρικής ρύπανσης

The aim of this dissertation is the study of the contribution of natural and anthropogenic emissions sources to particulate matter (PM) levels in Europe through the application of a photochemical modelling system. Natural emissions play an important role in atmospheric processes that affect climate, air quality and human health and therefore they should be included in the chemistry-transport models in order to improve air quality simulations. Natural emissions are estimated with the Natural Emissions Model (NEMO), which calculates PM emissions from windblown dust, sea-salt aerosol (SSA) and primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs), as well as Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds emissions from vegetation. NEMO is driven by the meteorology of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The models are applied on two different horizontal resolution domains that cover Europe (coarse domain) and Balkans (fine domain), respectively. The temporal and spatial distribution of natural PM emissions results is analysed and discussed in comparison with meteorology. Natural PM emissions are characterised by high geographical and seasonal variations; windblown dust emissions are the highest during summer in the southern Europe and SSA production in Atlantic Ocean is the highest during the cold season while in Mediterranean Sea the highest SSA emissions are found over the Aegean Sea during summer. PBAPs, which show a peak in emissions during summer, are the lowest in Scandinavia while they have an equal distribution over the rest Europe. Anthropogenic PM emissions data, taken by a European emission database, are estimated using the Model for the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Emissions (MOSESS). The contribution of natural and anthropogenic emissions to total particle emissions is examined. PM emissions from WD, SSA and BVOCs emissions estimated with NEMO and anthropogenic emission data are incorporated into a photochemical modelling system. The modelling system consisted of the WRF model and the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) is applied over the coarse (30km) European domain for the year 2009. Air quality simulations are performed for different emission scenarios in order to study the contribution of each natural emission source individually and together to air quality levels in Europe. The simulations reveal that the inclusion of windblown dust emissions increase the mean monthly PM10 levels by 7μg/m3 in the Eastern Mediterranean during summer. SSA have a significant effect on PM levels; sea-salt increases PM10 monthly concentrations by approximately 10μg/m3 in Aegean Sea during summer and in Atlantic Ocean during autumn. Sea-salt particles also interact with the anthropogenic component increasing significantly the nitrates in aerosols where shipping activities were present. BVOCs emissions resulted in an increase in secondary organic aerosols during summer over Europe while they reduce OH levels in the atmosphere leading to a reduction in sulphates and nitrates particles in Eastern Mediterranean and central Europe. The modelling system is evaluated through a comparison between the modelled concentrations and ground based measurement data. The evaluation showed that the model captured fairly well the contribution of the natural sources to PM levels over Europe.Σκοπός της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η μελέτη της συνεισφοράς των φυσικών και ανθρωπογενών πηγών εκπομπής στα επιπεδα σωματιδιακής ρύπανσης στην Ευρώπη. Οι φυσικές εκπομπές διαδραματίζουν ένα σημαντικό ρόλο στις διεργασίες της ατμόσφαιρας επιδρώντας στο κλίμα, την ποιότητα της ατμόσφαιρας και την ανθρώπινη υγεία. Γι’ αυτό το λόγο, οι φυσικές εκπομπές θα πρέπει να συμπεριλαμβάνονται στα χημικά μοντέλα ετσι ώστε να συμβάλλουν στη βελτίωση των προσομοιώσεων της ποιότητας της ατμόσφαιρας. Οι φυσικές εκπομπές υπολογίζονται με τη χρήση του μοντέλου Natural Emissions Model (ΝΕΜΟ). Το ΝΕΜΟ χρησιμοποιείται για την ποσοτικοποίηση των σωματιδιακών εκπομπών που προέρχονται από τη σκόνη από το έδαφος, το αλάτι της θάλασσας και τα βιολογικά αιωρούμενα σωματίδια (PBAPs) καθώς και των βιογενών εκπομπών από τη βλάστηση. Για την εφαρμογή του ΝΕΜΟ χρησιμοποιούνται μετεωρολογικά δεδομένα από το μοντέλο Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF). Τα δύο μοντέλα εφαρμόστηκαν σε δύο πλέγματα διαφορετικής χωρικής ανάλυσης που καλύπτουν την Ευρώπη και τα Βαλκάνια, αντίστοιχα. Τα αποτελέσματα των φυσικών εκπομπών αναλύονται χρονικά και χωρικά σε συνδυασμό με την εξάρτηση αυτών από τη μετεωρολογία. Οι φυσικές εκπομπές χαρακτηρίζονται γενικά από μεγάλες γεωγραφικές και εποχιακές μεταβολές. Οι εκπομπές από τη σκόνη του εδάφους είναι μέγιστες τους θερινούς μήνες στη Νότια Ευρώπη ενώ οι εκπομπές από το αλάτι της θάλασσες εμφανίζουν μέγιστο στον Ατλαντικό Ωκεανό κατά τη διάρκεια της ψυχρής περιόδου. Στη Μεσόγειο θάλασσα, οι μέγιστες εκπομπές από το θαλάσσιο αλάτι παρουσιάζονται κυρίως στο Αιγαίο Πέλαγος κατά τη θερινή περίοδο. Τα βιολογικά αιωρούμενα σωματίδια παρουσιάζουν μέγιστο το καλοκαίρι ενώ σε χωρικό επίπεδο, οι ελάχιστες εκπομπές παρατηρούνται στη Σκανδιναβία ενώ στην υπόλοιπη Ευρώπη δεν παρουσιάζεται ιδιαίτερη χωρική διακύμανση. Οι ανθρωπογενείς σωματιδιακές εκπομπές βασίζονται σε μία Ευρωπαϊκή βάση δεδομένων και υπολογίζονται με τη χρήση του μοντέλου ανθρωπογενών εκπομπών Model for the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Emissions (MOSESS). Στη διατριβή παρουσιάζεται η συνεισφορά των φυσικών και ανθρωπογενών εκπομπών στις συνολικές σωματιδιακές εκπομπές στην Ευρώπη. Τα αποτελέσματα των φυσικών (σκόνη, αλάτι, βλάστηση (βιογενείς εκπομπές)) και ανθρωπογενών εκπομπών ενσωματώνονται σε σύστημα μοντέλων που απαρτίζεται από το μετεωρολογικό μοντέλο WRF και το φωτοχημικό μοντέλο Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) για να μελετηθεί η συνεισφορά των φυσικών εκπομπών στην ποιότητα της ατμόσφαιρας. Το σύστημα μοντέλων εφαρμόζεται για διαφορετικά σενάρια εκπομπών έτσι ώστε να μελετηθεί ξεχωριστά η συνεισφορά της εκάστοτε φυσικής πηγής εκπομπών αλλά και η συνολική συνεισφορά από όλες τις φυσικές πηγές. Τα αποτελέσματα του μοντέλου δείχνουν ότι η σκόνη από το έδαφος αυξάνει τα μέσα μηνιαία επίπεδα συγκεντρώσεων των ΡΜ10 κατά 7μg/m3 στην περιοχή της Ανατολικής Μεσογείου το καλοκαίρι ενώ το αλάτι της θάλασσας έχει μια πολύ σημαντική επίδραση στα επίπεδα σωματιδιακής ρύπανσης αυξάνοντας τις συγκεντρώσεις των ΡΜ10 κατά περίπου 10μg/m3 στο Αιγαίο Πέλαγος το καλοκαίρι και στον Ατλαντικό Ωκεανό το φθινόπωρο. Οι βιογενείς εκπομπές συμβάλλουν στην αύξηση των δευτερογενών οργανικών σωματιδίων με αποτέλεσμα την αύξηση των επιπέδων σωματιδιακής ρύπανσης κυρίως το καλοκαίρι σε περιοχές με μεγάλη συνεισφορά των βιογενών εκπομπών (π.χ. Βόρεια Ευρώπη) ενώ συμβάλλουν στη μείωση των θειϊκών και νιτρικών σωματιδίων σε περιοχές της Κεντρικής Ευρώπης ή της Ανατολικής Μεσογείου λόγω της συμβολής τους στη μείωση των επιπέδων υδροξυλίου στην ατμόσφαιρα.Για την αξιολόγηση του συστήματος μοντέλων χρησιμοποιούνται μετρήσεις αιωρούμενων σωματιδίων που συλλέχθηκαν από διάφορους σταθμούς μέτρησης της Ευρώπης. Τα αποτελέσματα υποδεικνύουν ικανοποιητική επίδοση του μοντέλου και καλή προσομοίωση των φυσικών εκπομπών

Measures and Policies for Reducing PM Exceedances through the Use of Air Quality Modeling: The Case of Thessaloniki, Greece

The main aim of this study is the identification of the most appropriate measures and policies to combat particulate air pollution in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece through a methodology including the calculation of emissions by sector and the application of an air quality modeling system. The identification of the current air quality situation showed that the exceedances of the mean PM10 daily levels occur during the cold winter months with residential heating being the major contributor representing a 73% share of total PM10 emissions. Moreover, the effect of the biomass consumption for heating purposes on PM10 concentrations has been verified and quantified by implementing a regression model identifying that a PM10 emissions reduction by 45% would result in the elimination of the exceedances of the mean PM10 daily values. Based on the above, a set of cost-effective measures and policies were defined and their impact on PM10 emissions was estimated. Finally, the air quality modeling system was applied for the mitigation scenarios selected, leading to a significant reduction of 67% in the number of exceedances observed and ensuring compliance with the limit of 35 exceedances of the daily value limit per year pursuant to European Legislation

Building Energy Simulations Based on Weather Forecast Meteorological Model: The Case of an Institutional Building in Greece

The vision of decarbonization creates the need to design and construct even more energy-efficient buildings. This current target is even more compelling and challenging. The main issue when designing energy-efficient buildings is to identify present and future building energy requirements. A trending method for solving this problem is dynamic building energy simulation. One of the main inputs during energy simulation is weather data. However, the real problem lies in the fact that standard weather data are good at defining the present situation, and they help in designing buildings that behave efficiently under current climate conditions. To achieve the goal of constructing climate proof buildings, the Weather Research and Forecast meteorological model (WRF) was used to predict future climate scenarios. At first, data from previous years (2006–2010) were used to represent the current climate. The model was used to generate future climate data. Thus, results were produced for 5 year periods 2046–2050 and 2096–2100. These data were used for the energy simulation of an office building in Thessaloniki, Greece. The simulation results showed a reduction in heating loads by approximately 20% in the long term and a simultaneous impressive increase in cooling loads by 60%, highlighting the inadequacy of the existing building shell, as well as the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system design

Impacts of natural emission sources on particle pollution levels in Europe

The main objective of this work is the study of the impact of windblown dust, sea-salt aerosol and biogenic emissions on particle pollution levels in Europe. The Natural Emissions MOdel (NEMO) and the modelling system consisted of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) and the Comprehensive Air Quality model with extensions (CAMx) were applied in a 30 km horizontal resolution grid, which covered Europe and the adjacent areas for the year 2009. Air quality simulations were performed for different emission scenarios in order to study the contribution of each natural emission source individually and together to air quality levels in Europe. The simulations reveal that the exclusion of windblown dust emissions decreases the mean seasonal PM10 levels by more than 3.3 μg/m3 (∼20%) in the Eastern Mediterranean during winter while an impact of 3 μg/m3 was also found during summer. The results suggest that sea-salt aerosol has a significant effect on PM levels and composition. Eliminating sea-salt emissions reduces PM10 seasonal concentrations by around 10 μg/m3 in Mediterranean Sea during summer while a decrease of up to 6 μg/m3 is found in Atlantic Ocean during autumn. Sea-salt particles also interact with the anthropogenic component and therefore their absence in the atmosphere decreases significantly the nitrates in aerosols where shipping activities are present. The exclusion of biogenic emissions in the model runs leads to a significant reduction of secondary organic aerosols of more than 90% while an increase in PM2.5 levels in central Europe and Eastern Mediterranean is found due to their interaction with anthropogenic component

“On-Line” Heating Emissions Based on WRF Meteorology—Application and Evaluation of a Modeling System over Greece

The main objective of the present study is the development of an “on-line” heating emissions modeling system based on simulated meteorological data and its integration with air quality modeling systems in order to improve their accuracy. The WRF-CAMx air quality modeling system is applied over Greece for the cold period of 2015 (January–April, October–December) for two emissions scenarios: using the (a) “on-line” heating emissions based on WRF meteorology and (b) “static” heating emissions based on static temporal profiles. The monthly variation in total “on-line” heating emissions followed the temporal pattern of the air temperature over Greece, leading to the highest heating emissions in January and February, while higher differences in emissions between winter and spring/autumn months were identified in comparison with the static ones. The overall evaluation of the WRF-CAMx modeling system using the “on-line” heating emissions revealed satisfactory model performance for the mean daily air quality levels. The comparison between the simulated and observed mean monthly concentrations revealed an improvement in the pattern of mean monthly concentrations for the “on-line” scenario. Higher values of the index of agreement and correlation for the mean daily values were also identified for the “on-line” scenario in most monitoring sites