The NCCR TransCure: An Incubator for Interdisciplinary Research

The National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the University of Bern, was active from 2010 to 2022. It provided unique research and educational framework in the membrane transporter and ion channel field. Thanks to an interdisciplinary approach comprising physiology, structural biology, and chemistry, in parallel to a rich offer in complementary areas such as education and technology transfer, the network achieved outstanding scientific results and contributed to the education of young scientists. In this review, we present the main features and milestones of the NCCR TransCure

The Irish colonial landscape digital StoryMap: an inclusive didactic tool

This paper discusses the plan to create an inclusive didactictool: the Irish Colonial Landscape Digital StoryMap that focuses on colonial landscapes in Irish visitor attractions. The inclusive StoryMap will be co-created by three groups of students: Italian secondary school, Irish secondaryschool, and Irish university students. All the students will work together to create the content. The university students will also perform mentoring activities, by observing and providing recommendations on the work of the secondary school students. Thus, the creation of the StoryMap will foster inclusivity between international students, with different age groups. It will be an inclusive educational tool that aims to develop international collaboration, mentoring experience, research skills, and transferable skills. It will alsofoster inclusivity to the students who will use it by fostering a decolonial attitude in dealing with the geographies of colonisation. This paper explains the theoretical underpinnings of this inclusive Irish Colonial Landscape Digital StoryMap and the planning process. Finally, the paper ends by discussing planned outcomes for both the students involved in the creation of the StoryMap as well as the students who will use it

Le acque sotterranee del Cansiglio

Il Cansiglio è un altipiano carsico, con un’estensione di circa 100 km2 e un’altitudine media di circa 1000 m; esso è situato al confine tra due regioni (Veneto e Friuli Venezia Giulia) e tre provincie (Treviso, Belluno e Pordenone). Questo importante sistema carsico non è mai stato oggetto di approfonditi studi idrogeologici, nonostante la presenza di rilevanti sorgenti alla sua base (Meschio, Molinetto, Santissima e Gorgazzo). L’occasione si è presentata con l’esplorazione, da parte del Gruppo Speleologico Ferrarese in collaborazione con altri gruppi speleologici, di quella che è tuttora la grotta più profonda della zona: l’Abisso Col de la Rizza (904/FR410) (circa 800 m di profondità per 4 km di sviluppo). Con la collaborazione del Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell’Università di Ferrara, è stato, quindi, progettato e realizzato un multi- tracciamento delle acque sotterranee, con due iniezioni in parallelo: fluoresceina sodica all’Abisso Col de la Rizza e tinopal CBS-X al Bus de la Genziana (V-TV1000) (la cavità più sviluppata della zona, con circa 5 km di sviluppo per 600 m di profondità). Il monitoraggio è stato eseguito alle sorgenti del Molinetto, Santissima e Gorgazzo, mediante campionatori di acqua automatici (alle sorgenti Molinetto e Gorgazzo) e con un impegnativo programma di prelievi manuali di campioni d’acqua e di fluocaptori (carboni attivi e garze di cotone) in 3-4 punti di ogni sorgente monitorata. Al termine del tracciamento risultavano positive alla fluoresceina sodica le sorgenti Molinetto e Santissima, mentre nessuna delle sorgenti monitorate era positiva al tinopal CBS-X. Le curve di arrivo del tracciante, permettevano il calcolo delle velocità medie di transito in entrambe le sorgenti positive alla fluoresceina sodica, pari a circa: 250 m giorno-1, in fase di magra, e 1100 m giorno-1, in fase di piena.Cansiglio is a limestone plateau with an extent of about 100 km2 and a mean altitude of 1000 m; it is located on the border between two regions (Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia) and three provinces (Treviso, Belluno and Pordenone). The hydrogeology of this important karst system is poorly known, despite it probably feeds three important springs located at its south-eastern border (Molinetto, Santissima and Gorgazzo) that form Livenza River. Gruppo Speleologico Ferrarese, in collaboration with other speleological team, explored the deepest cave of Cansiglio: Abisso Col de la Rizza (904/FR410) (about 800 m deep and with 4 km of extent), which provided the opportunity to perform a tracer test. In collaboration with the Earth Sciences Department of Ferrara University, a multi-tracer test was made with two contemporary injections of fluorescent dyes in groundwaters: uranine in Abisso Col de la Rizza and tinopal CBS-X in Bus de la Genziana (V-TV1000) (600 m deep and 5 km of extent). The monitoring at Molinetto, Santissima and Gorgazzo springs was performed by means of automated samplers (at Gorgazzo and Molinetto springs) and an intense discrete sampling survey, which included water samples, charcoal bags and cotton lints collection. Molinetto and Santissima springs resulted positive to uranine, while any springs was positive to tinopal CBS-X. The breakthrough curves make possible the determination of the mean velocity of uranine: about 250 m day-1, during low flow conditions, and 1100 m day-1, after an intense rainfall event

Modeling algorithmic bias : simplicial complexes and evolving network topologies

Every day, people inform themselves and create their opinions on social networks. Although these platforms have promoted the access and dissemination of information, they may expose readers to manipulative, biased, and disinformative content-co-causes of polarization/radicalization. Moreover, recommendation algorithms, intended initially to enhance platform usage, are likely to augment such phenomena, generating the so-called Algorithmic Bias. In this work, we propose two extensions of the Algorithmic Bias model and analyze them on scale-free and Erdos-Renyi random network topologies. Our first extension introduces a mechanism of link rewiring so that the underlying structure co-evolves with the opinion dynamics, generating the Adaptive Algorithmic Bias model. The second one explicitly models a peer-pressure mechanism where a majority-if there is one-can attract a disagreeing individual, pushing them to conform. As a result, we observe that the co-evolution of opinions and network structure does not significantly impact the final state when the latter is much slower than the former. On the other hand, peer pressure enhances consensus mitigating the effects of both "close-mindedness" and algorithmic filtering

From mean-field to complex topologies : network effects on the algorithmic bias model

Nowadays, we live in a society where people often form their opinion by accessing and discussing contents shared on social networking websites. While these platforms have fostered information access and diffusion, they represent optimal environments for the proliferation of polluted contents, which is argued to be one of the co-causes of polarization/radicalization. Moreover, recommendation algorithms - intended to enhance platform usage - are likely to augment such phenomena, generating the so called Algorithmic Bias. In this work, we study the impact that different network topologies have on the formation and evolution of opinion in the context of a recent opinion dynamic model which includes bounded confidence and algorithmic bias. Mean-field, scale-free and random topologies, as well as networks generated by the Lancichinetti-Fortunato-Radicchi benchmark, are compared in terms of opinion fragmentation/polarization and time to convergence

Towards a better knowledge of Cansiglio karst system (Italy): results of the first successful groundwater tracer test

Cansiglio is a limestone plateau located on the border between the regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northeastern Italy. The eastern area is characterized by a thick succession of Cretaceous peritidal carbonates, while the central western part is characterized by slope breccia deposits. Even thoughPian Cansiglio is an important karst system, its hydrogeology is poorly known. Three important springs that form the Livenza River are located at its southeastern border and are thought to represent the majority of karst aquifer discharge, but no experimental data are available in the literature. Gruppo Speleologico Ferrarese explored an 800 m deep cave (Abisso Col de la Rizza) on Pian Cansiglio, whichprovided the opportunity to conduct tracer tests. Fluorescent dyes were injected in September 2008 in Abisso Col de la Rizza (uranine) and in Bus della Genziana (tinopal CBS-X). Over a period of three months, local cavers conducted an intense sampling programme, whichincluded collecting water samples, charcoal bags and cotton lints. Automated samplers were used for highfrequency monitoring at two of the springs. Tinopal was not detected, so the connection between Bus della Genziana and the springs was not demonstrated. The connection between Abisso Col de la Rizza and two of the springs was demonstrated by uranine. A mean velocity of 248 m/day results from the tracer concentration peaks; intense rainfall events increased the flow velocities four to five times. Different hypotheses are considered in order to explain the low mass recovery rate (32-40% of the injected mass). The uranine tracer test demonstrated that Pian Cansiglio aquifer contributes to the two Livenza springs; it also opens a question about the third spring, whichprobably originates from the Mount Cavallo area (another limestone massif close to Pian Cansiglio). The rapid response to rainfall recharge suggests a vulnerability of the spring system, further supporting the importance of conducting a detailed hydrogeological study. 

Change my mind : data driven estimate of open-mindedness from political discussions

One of the main dimensions characterizing the unfolding of opinion formation processes in social debates is the degree of open-mindedness of the involved population. Opinion dynamic modeling studies have tried to capture such a peculiar expression of individuals' personalities and relate it to emerging phenomena like polarization, radicalization, and ideology fragmentation. However, one of their major limitations lies in the strong assumptions they make on the initial distribution of such characteristics, often fixed so as to satisfy a normality hypothesis. Here we propose a data-driven methodology to estimate users' openmindedness from online discussion data. Our analysis-focused on the political discussion taking place on Reddit during the first two years of the Trump presidency-unveils the existence of statistically diverse distributions of open-mindedness in annotated sub-populations (i.e., Republicans, Democrats, and Moderates/Neutrals). Moreover, such distributions appear to be stable across time and generated by individual users' behaviors that remain consistent and underdispersed

The Recent non-marine ostracods of Tunisia: an updated checklist with remarks on their regional distribution patterns and ecological preferences

Different lines of investigation have recently contributed to increasing the available knowledge about the invertebrates inhabiting inland waters of north Africa, but a comprehensive synopsis on Tunisian Ostracoda is missing to date. An updated checklist of Recent non-marine ostracods from Tunisia and data on their distribution is thus offered here, representing the most extensive survey on this crustacean group ever carried out in inland waters throughout the country. One-hundred-five sites covering various climate zones, from Mediterranean to desert areas, were sampled between 2002 and 2012. Most of the considered water bodies were temporary or ephemeral habitats, but a few permanent sites were sampled as well. Overall, 18 genera and 32 taxa of putative species rank were collected in the frame of this survey, among which nine species and five genera were new to Tunisian fauna. As a result of this study and based on previous investigations, nine families (Candonidae, Cyprididae, Cytherideidae, Darwinulidae, Ilyocyprididae, Leptocytheridae, Limnocytheridae, Loxoconchidae, Paradoxostomatidae), 29 genera and at least 45 species of non-marine ostracods are currently known for Tunisia, which thus prove to host the most diverse ostracod fauna among north African countries. The number of species occurring in a single sample varied from 1 to 4. The Eucypris virens complex was the most widespread taxon (58 records), followed by Heterocypris barbara (30 records), Heterocypris incongruens (22 records), and Sarscypridopsis aculeata (16 records). For some ostracod species, clear distributional gradients associated with different climatic conditions were observed. The affinities with adjacent Maghrebian ostracod faunas are discussed. This study confirms the crucial role played by marginal aquatic habitats for the conservation of biodiversity, in particular in arid and semi-arid regions

An updated checklist of Recent ostracods (Crustacea: Ostracoda) from inland waters of Sicily and adjacent small islands with notes on their distribution and ecology

Because of its position in the middle of the Mediterranea Sea and a complex geological history that has promoted repeated waves of biological colonization, Sicily (Southern Italy) is of particular interest from a biogeographical perspective. A number of previous investigations, dating back as far as the end of the 19th century, have contributed to gather information about the occurrence of Recent non-marine ostracods in Sicily, making this region one of the most intensively studied areas of the Central Mediterranean. Published data on ostracod distributions have been integrated through an extensive field survey on mainland Sicily and surrounding small islands and archipelagos. Altogether, 271 ostracod samples and 11 sediment samples from dry water bodies were analysed from 218 sites visited between 2002 and 2017. Sampling sites were selected to encompass all the most common types of freshwater aquatic habitats, both natural and artificial, present in the area. Thirty-nine ostracods were identified at species level and 12 at supraspecific level. The present study reports four species (Cypria subsalsa, Eucypris mareotica, Physocypria kerkyrensis, Vestalenula boteai) and one genus (Vestalenula) as new for both peninsular Italy and adjacent islands, and three species (Candonopsis novaezelandiae, Ilyocypris inermis, Neglecandona neglecta) and two genera (Candonopsis and Physocypria) as new for Sicily. The updated checklist of the study area now includes at least 46 nominal species and other taxa identified at supraspecific level, belonging to 28 genera in 8 families (Candonidae, Cyprididae, Cytherideidae, Darwinulidae, Hemicytheridae, Ilyocyprididae, Limnocytheridae and Notodromadidae). The present investigation represents a significant addition to the knowledge of the ostracod diversity and distribution in the Sicilian area and in Italy as a whole. It also provides a sound baseline data for further comparative faunal studies aimed at investigating the affinities and origins of the central Mediterranean inland-water ostracod faunas, and to analyse their biogeographic patterns

Variability in Environmental Conditions Strongly Impacts Ostracod Assemblages of Lowland Springs in a Heavily Anthropized Area

The Po river plain (Northern Italy) hosts artificial, lowland springs locally known as fontanili, which provide important ecosystem services in an area dominated by intensive agricultural activities. Here we present a study carried out in 50 springs. Each spring was visited once from October 2015 to January 2016. The sampled sites were selected to include springs studied in 2001 and 2004, to evaluate changes in water quality and ostracod assemblages that possibly occurred over a period of 10–15 years, and explore the relationships between ostracod community composition and water physical and chemical variables. Our results showed a decrease in the chemical water quality especially, in springs south of the Po river, evidenced by high nitrate levels. Most of the studied springs showed a relevant decrease in dissolved reactive silica, probably related to recent transformations of either agricultural practices or crop typology. Ostracods were mostly represented by common and tolerant species, and communities were characterized by low alpha diversity and high species turnover. Water temperature and mineralization level were the most influential variables in structuring the ostracod communities. We stress the need to implement conservation and restoration measures for these threatened ecosystems, to regain their role as ecosystem services providers