Formal descriptions of material manipulations: an exploration with cuts and shadows

Shape computation in design is never purely limited to visual aspects and ideally includes material aspects as well. The physicality of designing introduces a wide range of variables for designers to tackle within the design process. We present a simple design exercise realised in four stages where we physically manipulate perforated cardboard sheets as a case to make material variables explicit in the computation. The emphasis is on representing sensory aspects rather than easily quantifiable properties more suitable for simulations. Our explorations demonstrate the use of visual rules to represent actions, variables and form as well as how to control the variables to create new results, both desired and surprising, in materially informed ways

Influence of water availability in the distributions of branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether in soils of the Iberian Peninsula

The combined application of the MBT (degree of methylation) and CBT (degree of cyclization) indices, based on the distribution of branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) in soils, has been proposed as a paleoproxy to estimate mean annual temperature (MAT). CBT quantifies the degree of cyclization of brGDGTs and relates to soil pH. MBT and the simplified version MBT' quantify the degree of methylation of brGDGTs and relate to MAT and soil pH. However, other factors such as soil water availability have also been suggested to influence MBT' and possibly restrict the combined application of the MBT' and CBT indices as a paleotemperature proxy. To assess the effect of hydrological conditions on MBT' and CBT, a set of 23 Iberian Peninsula soil samples, covering a MAT range from 10 to 18 °C and a mean annual precipitation (MAP) range of 405 mm to 1455 mm, was analyzed. We found that the CBT was indeed significantly correlated with soil pH in our sample set. In contrast, MBT' was not correlated with MAT but had a significant correlation with the aridity index (AI), a parameter related to water availability in soils. The AI can explain 50% of the variation of the MBT', and 70% of the residuals of MAT estimated with the MBT/CBT proxy as compared to instrumentally measured MAT. We propose that, in arid settings, where water may be an ecologically limiting factor, MBT' is influenced by hydrological conditions rather than temperature. Thus, our results suggest that the combination of MBT' and CBT indices should be applied with caution in paleotemperature reconstructions in soils from dry subhumid to hyperarid environments

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Comparative adverse effects, perceptions and attitudes related to BNT162b2, mRNA1273, or JNJ-78436735 SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: A population-based longitudinal cohort

Importance Long-term control of SARS-CoV-2 requires effective vaccination strategies. This has been challenged by public mistrust and spread of misinformation regarding vaccine safety. Hence, better understanding and communication on the longer-term and comparative experiences of general population individuals following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination are required. Objective To evaluate and compare self-reported adverse effects following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, participants’ perceptions regarding vaccinations and their compliance with recommended public health measures. Design, Setting and Participants Population-based longitudinal cohort of 575 adults, randomly selected from all individuals presenting to the reference vaccination center of the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, for receipt of BNT162b2, mRNA1273, or JNJ-78436735

Adverse effects, perceptions and attitudes related to BNT162b2, mRNA-1273 or JNJ-78436735 SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: Population-based cohort

Long-term control of SARS-CoV-2 requires effective vaccination strategies. This has been challenged by public mistrust and the spread of misinformation regarding vaccine safety. Better understanding and communication of the longer-term and comparative experiences of individuals in the general population following vaccination are required. In this population-based longitudinal study, we included 575 adults, randomly selected from all individuals presenting to a Swiss reference vaccination center, for receipt of BNT162b2, mRNA1273, or JNJ-78436735. We assessed the prevalence, onset, duration, and severity of self-reported adverse effects over 12 weeks following vaccination. We additionally evaluated participants' perceptions of vaccines, trust in public health authorities and pharmaceutical companies, and compliance with public health measures. Most participants reported at least one adverse effect within 12 weeks following vaccination. Adverse effects were mostly mild or moderate, resolved within three days, and rarely resulted in anaphylaxis or hospitalizations. Female sex, younger age, higher education, and receipt of mRNA-1273 were associated with reporting adverse effects. Compared to JNJ-78436735 recipients, a higher proportion of mRNA vaccine recipients agreed that vaccination is important, and trusted public health authorities. Our findings provide real-world estimates of the prevalence of adverse effects following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and highlight the importance of transparent communication to ensure the success of current or future vaccination campaigns

Heterogenous humoral and cellular immune responses with distinct trajectories post-SARS-CoV-2 infection in a population-based cohort.

To better understand the development of SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity over time, a detailed evaluation of humoral and cellular responses is required. Here, we characterize anti-Spike (S) IgA and IgG in a representative population-based cohort of 431 SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals up to 217 days after diagnosis, demonstrating that 85% develop and maintain anti-S responses. In a subsample of 64 participants, we further assess anti-Nucleocapsid (N) IgG, neutralizing antibody activity, and T cell responses to Membrane (M), N, and S proteins. In contrast to S-specific antibody responses, anti-N IgG levels decline substantially over time and neutralizing activity toward Delta and Omicron variants is low to non-existent within just weeks of Wildtype SARS-CoV-2 infection. Virus-specific T cells are detectable in most participants, albeit more variable than antibody responses. Cluster analyses of the co-evolution of antibody and T cell responses within individuals identify five distinct trajectories characterized by specific immune patterns and clinical factors. These findings demonstrate the relevant heterogeneity in humoral and cellular immunity to SARS-CoV-2 while also identifying consistent patterns where antibody and T cell responses may work in a compensatory manner to provide protection

Responsibility and appropriate blame: The no difference view

How do the fact that an agent is morally responsible for a certain morally objectionable action and the fact that she is an appropriate target of blame for it relate to each other? Many authors inspired by Peter Strawson say that they necessarily co‐occur. Standard answers to the question of why they co‐occur say that the occurrence of one of the facts explains that the other obtains. This article presents a third option: that they are one and the same fact. There is no difference between the fact that a person is an appropriate target of blame for an objectionable action and the fact that she is morally responsible for it. This view has the advantage of being metaphysically more parsimonious and of answering, in an elegant and plausible way, an interesting question about which many standard theories of responsibility keep silent: what is it to be morally responsible simpliciter

Capillaric-Field Effect Transistors

Controlling fluid flow in capillaric circuits is a key requirement to increase their uptake for assay applications. Capillary action off-valves provide such functionality by pushing an occluding bubble into the channel using a difference in capillary pressure. Previously, we utilized the binary switching mode of this structure to develop a powerful set of fundamental fluidic valving operations. In this work, we study the transistor-like qualities of the off-valve and provide evidence that these structures are in fact functionally complementary to electronic junction field effect transistors. In view of this, we propose the new term capillaric field effect transistor to describe these types of valves. To support this conclusion, we present a theoretical description, experimental characterization, and practical application of analog flow resistance control. In addition, we demonstrate that the valves can also be reopened. We show modulation of the flow resistance from fully open to pinch-off, determine the flow rate–trigger channel volume relationship and demonstrate that the latter can be modeled using Shockley’s equation for electronic transistors. Finally, we provide a first example of how the valves can be opened and closed repeatedly