Economic reasoning and interaction in socially extended market institutions

An important part of what it means for agents to be situated in the everyday world of human affairs includes their engagement with economic practices. In this paper, we employ the concept of cognitive institutions in order to provide an enactive and interactive interpretation of market and economic reasoning. We challenge traditional views that understand markets in terms of market structures or as processors of distributed information. The alternative conception builds upon the notion of the market as a scaffolding institution. Introducing the concept of market as a socially extended cognitive institution we go beyond the notion of scaffolding to provide an enactive view of economic reasoning that understands the market participant in terms of social interactive processes and relational autonomy. Markets are more than inert devices for information processing; they can be viewed as highly scaffolded, where strong constraints and incentives predictably direct agents\u27 behavior. Building on this idea we argue that markets emerge from (a) the economic interaction of both supply and demand sides, in continual and mutual interplay, and (b) more basic social interactions. Consumer behavior in the marketplace is complex, not only contributing to determine the market price, but also extending the consumer\u27s cognitive processes to reliably attain a correct evaluation of the good. Moreover, this economic reasoning is socially situated and not something done in isolation from other consumers. From a socially situated, interactive point of view buying or not buying a good is something that enacts the market. This shifts the status of markets from external institutions that merely causally affect participants\u27 cognitive processes to social institutions that constitutively extend these cognitive processes. On this view the constraints imposed by social interactions, as well as the possibilities enabled by such interactions, are such that economic reasoning is never just an individual process carried out by an autonomous individual, classically understood. In this regard, understanding the concept of relational autonomy allows us to see how economic reasoning is always embodied, embedded in, and scaffolded by intersubjective interactions, and how such interactions make the market what it is

Regularization of first order computational homogenization for multiscale analysis of masonry structures

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00466-015-1230-6 This paper investigates the possibility of using classical first order computational homogenization together with a simple regularization procedure based on the fracture energy of the micro-scale-constituents. A generalized geometrical characteristic length takes into account the size of the macro-scale element as well as the size of the RVE (and its constituents). The proposed regularization ensures objectivity of the dissipated energy at the macro-scale, with respect to the size of the FE in both scales and with respect to the size of the RVE. The proposed method is first validated against benchmark examples, and finally applied to the numerical simulation of experimental tests on in-plane loaded shear walls made of periodic masonry

Multiscale computational first order homogenization of thick shells for the analysis of out-of-plane loaded masonry walls

This work presents a multiscale method based on computational homogenization for the analysis of general heterogeneous thick shell structures, with special focus on periodic brick-masonry walls. The proposed method is designed for the analysis of shells whose micro-structure is heterogeneous in the in-plane directions, but initially homogeneous in the shell-thickness direction, a structural topology that can be found in single-leaf brick masonry walls. Under this assumption, this work proposes an efficient homogenization scheme where both the macro-scale and the micro-scale are described by the same shell theory. The proposed method is then applied to the analysis of out-of-plane loaded brick-masonry walls, and compared to experimental and micro-modeling results

Lightweight error correction technique in industrial IEEE802.15.4 networks

Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs) are nowadays becoming more and more popular thanks to their flexibility and pervasive monitoring capabilities to support process automation and remote maintenance applications. In such a scenario, channel errors due to the wireless medium can result in data packet losses, and consequently in unreliable IWSN services. To mitigate the above reported problem, this paper presents a lightweight error correction scheme specially developed for IEEE802.15.4-based IWSNs. By adding error correction and detection information inside the IEEE802.15.4 MAC data frame, the proposed FEC scheme is able to guarantee a backward compatibility with the standard while providing advanced capabilities in recovering data packets affected by bit errors. In the paper the benefits of the proposed technique are first evaluated through simulated loss traces, then they are validated in a real environment by considering real loss traces collected in an electricity power plant. The proposed error correction scheme is able to recover around 50% of the data packets that would be lost in case of a standard communication without any error correction capability

Cerebellum and neurodegenerative diseases: Beyond conventional magnetic resonance imaging

The cerebellum plays a key role in movement control and in cognition and cerebellar involvement is described in several neurodegenerative diseases. While conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used for brain and cerebellar morphologic evaluation, advanced MRI techniques allow the investigation of cerebellar microstructural and functional characteristics. Volumetry, voxel-based morphometry, diffusion MRI based fiber tractography, resting state and task related functional MRI, perfusion, and proton MR spectroscopy are among the most common techniques applied to the study of cerebellum. In the present review, after providing a brief description of each technique's advantages and limitations, we focus on their application to the study of cerebellar injury in major neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease and hereditary ataxia. A brief introduction to the pathological substrate of cerebellar involvement is provided for each disease, followed by the review of MRI studies exploring structural and functional cerebellar abnormalities and by a discussion of the clinical relevance of MRI measures of cerebellar damage in terms of both clinical status and cognitive performance

A composite measure to explore visual disability in primary progressive multiple sclerosis

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide complementary information on visual system damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objectives: The objective of this paper is to determine whether a composite OCT/MRI score, reflecting cumulative damage along the entire visual pathway, can predict visual deficits in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). Methods: Twenty-five PPMS patients and 20 age-matched controls underwent neuro-ophthalmologic evaluation, spectral-domain OCT, and 3T brain MRI. Differences between groups were assessed by univariate general linear model and principal component analysis (PCA) grouped instrumental variables into main components. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between low-contrast visual acuity (LCVA), OCT/MRI-derived metrics and PCA-derived composite scores. Results: PCA identified four main components explaining 80.69% of data variance. Considering each variable independently, LCVA 1.25% was significantly predicted by ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness, thalamic volume and optic radiation (OR) lesion volume (adjusted R2 0.328, p = 0.00004; adjusted R2 0.187, p = 0.002 and adjusted R2 0.180, p = 0.002). The PCA composite score of global visual pathway damage independently predicted both LCVA 1.25% (adjusted R2 value 0.361, p = 0.00001) and LCVA 2.50% (adjusted R2 value 0.323, p = 0.00003). Conclusion: A multiparametric score represents a more comprehensive and effective tool to explain visual disability than a single instrumental metric in PPMS

Equivalent Frame Method Combining Flexural and Shear Responses of Masonry Buildings

This work presents the results of quasi-static non-linear analyses of two masonry buildings using, for the discretization of walls, a macro-element that combines the bending and the in-plane shear responses. The macro-element uses the force-based beam- column element equipped with cross sections discretized in fibers, where the behavior of each fiber is described by uniaxial constitutive models. To describe the shear response of the structural element, the macro-element embeds a shear hinge at mid-span, with a phenomenological non-linear constitutive model calibrated on experimental data. The analyzed buildings are two tangibles examples of un-reinforced and reinforced masonry of the Italian Heritage. The un-reinforced masonry building is a strategic building monitored by the O.S.S., partially damaged by the seismic events in Center Italy in 2016. The reinforced masonry building, a three-storey residential structure, is subject of evaluations carried out in the ReLuis RINTC project, designed as per D.M. 2018

Relationship between retinal inner nuclear layer, age, and disease activity in progressive MS

Objective: To investigate whether inner nuclear layer (INL) thickness as assessed with optical coherence tomography differs between patients with progressive MS (P-MS) according to age and disease activity. Methods: In this retrospective longitudinal analysis, differences in terms of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), INL and T1/T2 lesion volumes (T1LV/T2LV) were assessed between 84 patients with P-MS and 36 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HCs) and between patients stratified according to age (cut-off: 51 years) and evidence of clinical/MRI activity in the previous 12 months RESULTS: pRNFL and GCIPL thickness were significantly lower in patients with P-MS than in HCs (p = 0.003 and p < 0.0001, respectively). INL was significantly thicker in patients aged < 51 years compared to the older ones and HCs (38.2 vs 36.5 and 36.7 μm; p = 0.038 and p = 0.04, respectively) and in those who presented MRI activity (new T2/gadolinium-enhancing lesions) in the previous 12 months compared to the ones who did not and HCs (39.5 vs 36.4 and 36.7 μm; p = 0.003 and p = 0.008, respectively). Recent MRI activity was significantly predicted by greater INL thickness (Nagelkerke R2 0.36, p = 0.001). Conclusions: INL thickness was higher in younger patients with P-MS with recent MRI activity, a criterion used in previous studies to identify a specific subset of patients with P-MS who best responded to disease-modifying treatment. If this finding is confirmed, we suggest that INL thickness might be a useful tool in stratification of patients with P-MS for current and experimental treatment choice

Multi-sensor analysis of convective activity in central Italy during the HyMeX SOP 1.1

Abstract. A multi-sensor analysis of convective precipitation events that occurred in central Italy in autumn 2012 during the HyMeX (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean experiment) Special Observation Period (SOP) 1.1 is presented. Various microphysical properties of liquid and solid hydrometeors are examined to assess their relationship with lightning activity. The instrumentation used consisted of a C-band dual-polarization weather radar, a 2-D video disdrometer, and the LINET lightning network. Results of T-matrix simulation for graupel were used to (i) tune a fuzzy logic hydrometeor classification algorithm based on Liu and Chandrasekar (2000) for the detection of graupel from C-band dual-polarization radar measurements and (ii) to retrieve graupel ice water content. Graupel mass from radar measurements was related to lightning activity. Three significant case studies were analyzed and linear relations between the total mass of graupel and number of LINET strokes were found with different slopes depending on the nature of the convective event (such as updraft strength and freezing level height) and the radar observational geometry. A high coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.856) and a slope in agreement with satellite measurements and model results for one of the case studies (15 October 2012) were found. Results confirm that one of the key features in the electrical charging of convective clouds is the ice content, although it is not the only one. Parameters of the gamma raindrop size distribution measured by a 2-D video disdrometer revealed the transition from a convective to a stratiform regime. The raindrop size spectra measured by a 2-D video disdrometer were used to partition rain into stratiform and convective classes. These results are further analyzed in relation to radar measurements and to the number of strokes. Lightning activity was not always recorded when the precipitation regime was classified as convective rain. High statistical scores were found for relationships relating lightning activity to graupel aloft

A Multisensor Investigation of Convection During HyMeX SOP1 IOP13

A multisensor analysis of the convective precipitation event occurred over Rome during the IOP13 (October 15th, 2012) of the HyMeX (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean eXperiment) Special Observation Period (SOP) 1 is presented. Thanks to the cooperation among Italian meteorological services and scientific community and a specific agreement with NASA-GSFC, different types of devices for meteorological measurements were made available during the HyMeX SOP.1. For investigating this event, used are the 3-D lightning data provided by the LINET, the CNR ISAC dual-pol C-band radar (Polar 55C), located in Rome, the Drop Size Distributions (DSD) collected by the 2D Video Disdrometer (2DVD) and the collocated Micro Rain Radar (MRR) installed at the Radio Meteorology Lab. of "Sapienza" University of Rome, located 14 km from the Polar 55C radar. The relation between microphysical structure and electrical activity during the convective phase of the event was investigated using LINET lightning data and Polar 55C (working both in PPI and RHI scanning mode) observations. Location of regions of high horizontal reflectivity (Zh) values ( > 50 dBz), indicating convective precipitation, were found to be associated to a high number of LINET strokes. In addition, an hydrometeor classification scheme applied to the Polar 55C scans was used to detect graupel and to identify a relation between number of LINET strokes and integrated IWC of graupel along the event. Properties of DSDs measured by the 2DVD and vertical DSD profiles estimated by MRR and their relation with the lighting activity registered by LINET were investigated with specific focus on the transition from convective to stratiform regimes. A good agreement was found between convection detected by these instruments and the number of strokes detected by LINET