Few-cycle Surface Plasmon Polariton Generation by Rotating Wavefront Pulses

A concept for the efficient generation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) with a duration of very few cycles is presented. The scheme is based on grating coupling and laser pulses with wavefront rotation (WFR), so that the resonance condition for SPP excitation is satisfied only for a time window shorter than the driving pulse. The feasibility and robustness of the technique is investigated by means of simulations with realistic parameters. In optimal conditions, we find that a $29.5$~fs pulse with $800$~nm wavelength can excite a $3.8$~fs SPP ($\sim 1.4$ laser cycles) with a peak field amplitude $2.7$ times the peak value for the laser pulse

The Multivariate Mixture Dynamics Model: Shifted dynamics and correlation skew

The Multi Variate Mixture Dynamics model is a tractable, dynamical, arbitrage-free multivariate model characterized by transparency on the dependence structure, since closed form formulae for terminal correlations, average correlations and copula function are available. It also allows for complete decorrelation between assets and instantaneous variances. Each single asset is modelled according to a lognormal mixture dynamics model, and this univariate version is widely used in the industry due to its flexibility and accuracy. The same property holds for the multivariate process of all assets, whose density is a mixture of multivariate basic densities. This allows for consistency of single asset and index/portfolio smile. In this paper, we generalize the MVMD model by introducing shifted dynamics and we propose a definition of implied correlation under this model. We investigate whether the model is able to consistently reproduce the implied volatility of FX cross rates once the single components are calibrated to univariate shifted lognormal mixture dynamics models. We consider in particular the case of the Chinese renminbi FX rate, showing that the shifted MVMD model correctly recovers the CNY/EUR smile given the EUR/USD smile and the USD/CNY smile, thus highlighting that the model can also work as an arbitrage free volatility smile extrapolation tool for cross currencies that may not be liquid or fully observable. We compare the performance of the shifted MVMD model in terms of implied correlation with those of the shifted Simply Correlated Mixture Dynamics model where the dynamics of the single assets are connected naively by introducing correlation among their Brownian motions. Finally, we introduce a model with uncertain volatilities and correlation. The Markovian projection of this model is a generalization of the shifted MVMD model

The town of Collodi: the vernacular heritage

[EN] The town of Collodi consists mainly of two parts, the ancient village perched on the hill and a settlement in the valley. The ancient castle, of which we have accurate information only after the twelfth century, still retains many of the characteristics of a medieval village. The planimetric development of this small settlement is highly interesting: both the main roads and the building aggregates follow the lines of the maximum slope of the hill, giving the entire skyline a cascading pattern. In the past two centuries, the castle of Collodi has not seen significant expansions beyond the perimeter of its ancient walls. Only the external roads have been adapted to the traffic of cars while movement inside the walls has remained exclusively pedestrian. For this reason, the structure still retains, for the most part, the vernacular features of the small settlements of northern Tuscany. These characteristics can be traced back using both the construction techniques and the typological elements. Through a careful study and an in-depth analysis of the buildings that characterize its typical elements, the vernacular architecture of the town can be both safeguarded and valorised. This paper means to illustrate the first results of the study on the entire vernacular heritage of Collodi, both the materials used and the architecture, which resulted in the identification of the unchanged parts of the buildings and the distinctive features that have been preserved, as well as the definition of the necessary guidelines for their restoration.Pisani, F. (2022). The town of Collodi: the vernacular heritage. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 293-300. https://doi.org/10.4995/HERITAGE2022.2022.1567029330

Bortezomib-containing multimodality treatment for antibody-mediated rejection with anti-HLA and anti-AT1R antibodies after kidney transplantation

For decades, the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex has been considered the primary target of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), and treatment strategies have mainly focused on anti-HLA antibodies. Recently, other antibodies potentially causing organ damage and loss have been discovered. Conclusive evidence on treatment options for these subtypes of AMR is still lacking. After an experience previously reported in this journal,1 we describe a case of late-onset AMR, with mixed anti-HLA and anti-angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antibodies, that was successfully treated with a multimodal approach, including the use of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib

A Permutation-based Combination of Sign Tests for Assessing Habitat Selection

The analysis of habitat use in radio-tagged animals is approached by comparing the portions of use vs the portions of availability observed for each habitat type. Since data are linearly dependent with singular variance-covariance matrices, standard multivariate statistical test cannot be applied. To overcome the problem, compositional data analysis is customary performed via log-ratio transform of sample observations. The procedure is criticized in this paper, emphasizing the many drawbacks which may arise from the use of compositional analysis. An alternative nonparametric solution is proposed in the framework of multiple testing. The habitat use is assessed separately for each habitat type by means of the sign test performed on the original observations. The resulting p-values are combined in an overall test statistic whose significance is determined permuting sample observations. The theoretical findings of the paper are checked by simulation studies. Applications to some case studies are considered.compositional data analysis, Johnson’s second order selection, Johnson’s third order selection, Monte Carlo studies, multiple testing, random habitat use.

The Role of Competition in the Adoption of Mobile Payment among Merchants

Mobile payment has been predicted to become the “new normal” in the payments industry. However, such predictions have hardly been realized in the Euro area, since most payments at the point of sale (POS) are still conducted in cash. Mobile payment represents a specific case of multi-sided markets, where the functioning of the whole market relies on the interaction between several players – in this case at least two, i.e. merchants and consumers – on a common platform. As such, every innovation that is brought to this market has to be adopted by both sides in order to be widely diffused. For the successful dissemination of mobile payment, however, it is important that merchants are among the early adopters, as merchants are the ones who directly cover the costs of the system. Nevertheless, despite its importance, extant research on mobile payment has often neglected the role of merchants. Our research in progress is set to investigate the main features of competition that will eventually stimulate merchants’ adoption of mobile payment at the POS. Empirical evidence will be provided via a survey targeting merchants with at least one physical POS. The results are expected to contribute to the literature on mobile payment, as well as that on the diffusion of innovations and multi- sided markets

Neonatal seizures—diagnostic options and treatment recommendations

Seizures in neonates should prompt rapid evaluation to verify the diagnosis, determine etiology, and initiate appropriate treatment. Neonatal seizure diagnosis requires EEG confirmation and clinical observation alone is insufficient. Although most neonatal seizures are related to acute brain injury, some neonates present early-onset structural or metabolic/genetic epilepsy. Video-EEG monitoring, the gold standard for neonatal seizure detection and quantification, is resource-intensive and often unavailable, with amplitude-integrated EEG offering a reasonable alternative in guiding treatment. Whereas new-generation antiseizure medication (ASM), such as levetiracetam, appear promising, particularly in terms of tolerability, older-generation ASM, such as phenobarbital and phenytoin, are yet to be replaced. Acute treatment should aim at stopping both electroclinical and electrographic-only seizures. In neonates with acute provoked seizures, ASM should be discontinued without tapering after 72 h of seizure freedom and before hospital discharge

The Impact of Blockchain Technology on Business Models in the Payments Industry

Because of its potentially disruptive influence on business models (BMs), blockchain technology has sparked a lively debate among researchers. Our Delphi study sets out to explore the impact of blockchain in payments, which represents a major cornerstone of banking and the cradle of this technology. The results, grouped around four areas of thoughts, indicate that blockchain allows the offering of new services and renders some of the current ones obsolete. This consequently impacts the financial structure of firms in the payments industry and further generates great potential for new BMs while making some existing ones obsolete. Eventually, new players, which are better able to leverage the po-tential of blockchain, will give a strong impulse to this development. Our findings contribute to the literature by providing new insights about the impact of innova-tive technologies on BMs and have further practical implications by presenting a better understanding of future BMs in payments

Pediatric-Onset Epilepsy and Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathies Followed by Early-Onset Parkinsonism

Genetic early-onset Parkinsonism is unique due to frequent co-occurrence of hyperkinetic movement disorder(s) (MD), or additional neurological of systemic findings, including epilepsy in up to 10–15% of cases. Based on both the classification of Parkinsonism in children proposed by Leuzzi and coworkers and the 2017 ILAE epilepsies classification, we performed a literature review in PubMed. A few discrete presentations can be identified: Parkinsonism as a late manifestation of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DE-EE), with multiple, refractory seizure types and severely abnormal EEG characteristics, with or without preceding hyperkinetic MD; Parkinsonism in the context of syndromic conditions with unspecific reduced seizure threshold in infancy and childhood; neurodegenerative conditions with brain iron accumulation, in which childhood DE-EE is followed by neurodegeneration; and finally, monogenic juvenile Parkinsonism, in which a subset of patients with intellectual disability or developmental delay (ID/DD) develop hypokinetic MD between 10 and 30 years of age, following unspecific, usually well-controlled, childhood epilepsy. This emerging group of genetic conditions leading to epilepsy or DE-EE in childhood followed by juvenile Parkinsonism highlights the need for careful long-term follow-up, especially in the context of ID/DD, in order to readily identify individuals at increased risk of later Parkinsonism

A model of interaction between the financial sector and the energy sector: the hypothesis of energy currency

Through an overview of developments in finance and in the energy sector, this work represents an analysis of the relationship of their trends. It is carried out through an interdisciplinary approach. From the original physical currency to electronic payment methods, digital currency is becoming a new concept. It’s still a fiat money which is only as good as the organization that issues it. Because Bitcoin is not issued by any central bank, there is no centralized management of the country; there is a great risk of losing control. Finance is not entirely a virtual economy. So, currency development trends must return to intrinsic value. There is the possibility for the energy currency also for its stability. As an energy currency, it is not necessary to print, not to apply the exchange rate, no corresponding pollution, and even better it will help to alleviate the existing environmental problem facing the challenges of global environmental degradation. The international unit of energy can be seen as the unit of energy money because of its intrinsic value. As stated by Scott, there are good reasons to consider energy as a potential currency. If the future integrates energy into the financial system and becomes a means of payment, it will not only eliminate the risk of currency depreciation, but also optimize energy saving and use to achieve environmental protection. The emphasis is given to the integration of the financial sector with the energy one. The aim is to develop a parametric numerical model able to foresee the possibility of combining finance and energy, allowing a sustainable development. This allows us to analyze the pros and cons of the existing energy cryptocurrencies. The last step consists in identifying the main characteristics that this cryptocurrency must have in order to achieve the desired results