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The Regeni case has called into question the traditional Italian foreign policy in the Mediterranean, which has been based on a business-oriented approach and an overall friendly attitude towards the existing governments. Under the pressure of public opinion, Renzi’s executive has been pushed to rethink its current relations to Egypt, traditionally a close partner of Italy, thus weakening the once strong economic, political, and security partnership. This decision has had consequences for the role of Italy in the Libyan crisis, where Egypt supports General Haftar in the East and Italy is the main sponsor of the National Unity Government in the West. The paper argues that the Regeni case had an impact on the overall Italian Mediterranean strategy in the short term. However, it also states that, given that the current transformation has not yet been followed by a radical rethink of the cornerstones of Italian policy in the area, it is unlikely that it will mark the beginning of a fundamental review ...

Despite the impressive amount of financial resources recently invested in carrying out large-scale brain simulations, it is controversial what the pay-offs are of pursuing this project. One idea is that from designing, building, and running a large-scale neural simulation, scientists acquire knowledge about the computational performance of the simulating system, rather than about the neurobiological system represented in the simulation. It has been claimed that this knowledge may usher in a new era of neuromorphic, cognitive computing systems. This study elucidates this claim and argues that the main challenge this era is facing is not the lack of biological realism. The challenge lies in identifying general neurocomputational principles for the design of artificial systems, which could display the robust flexibility characteristic of biological intelligence.

Mechanical response of textile-reinforced aerated concrete sandwich panels was investigated using an instrumented three-point bending experiment under static and low-velocity dynamic loading. Two types of aerated concrete: autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) and polymeric Fiber-Reinforced Aerated Concrete (FRAC) were used as the core material. Skin layer consisted of two layers of Alkali Resistant Glass (ARG) textiles and a cementitious binder. Performance of ductile skin-brittle core (TRC–AAC) and ductile skin-ductile core (TRC–FRAC) composites was evaluated in terms of flexural stiffness, strength, and energy absorption capacity. The effect of impact energy on the mechanical properties was measured at various drop heights on two different cross-sections using energy levels up to 40 J and intermediate strain rates up to 20 s−1. The externally bonded textile layers significantly improved the mechanical properties of light-weight low-strength aerated concrete core under both loading modes. Dynamic flexural strength was greater than the static flexural strength by as much as 4 times. For specimens with larger cross-sections, unreinforced-autoclaved AAC core had a 15% higher apparent flexural capacity. With 0.5% volume of polypropylene fibers in the core, the flexural toughness however increased by 25%. Cracking mechanisms were studied using high speed image acquisition and digital image correlation (DIC) technique. Keywords: Aerated concrete, Textile reinforced concrete, Sandwich composites, Impact, Crack propagation

There continues to be significant confusion about the goals, scope, and nature of modellingpracticeinneuroeconomics.Thisarticleaimstodispelsomesuchconfusionbyusing one of the most recent critiques of neuroeconomic modelling as a foil. The article argues fortwoclaims.First,currently,foratleastsomeeconomicmodelofchoicebehaviour,the benefits derivable from neurally informing an economic model do not involve special tractabilitycosts.Second,modellinginneuroeconomicsisbestunderstoodwithinMarr’s three-levelofanalysisframeworkandinlightofaco-evolutionaryresearchideology.The first claim is established by elucidating the relationship between the tractability of a model, its descriptive accuracy, and its number of variables. The second claim relies on an explanation of what it can take to neurally inform an economic model of choice behaviour.

Importance Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic and can involve the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including symptoms like diarrhea and shedding of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in feces. Objective To provide a pooled estimate of GI symptoms, liver enzyme levels outside reference ranges, and fecal tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 among patients with COVID-19. Data Sources An electronic literature search was performed for published (using MEDLINE/PubMed and Embase) and preprint (using bioRxiv and medRxiv) studies of interest conducted from November 1, 2019, to March 30, 2020. Search terms included “COVID-19,” “SARS-Cov-2,” and/or “novel coronavirus.” Study Selection Eligible studies were those including patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who reported GI symptoms. Data Extraction and Synthesis Data on patients with GI symptoms (ie, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting), liver enzyme level changes, and fecal shedding of virus were extracted. Quality of studies was examined using methodological index for nonrandomized studies. Pooled estimates (%) were reported with 95% CIs with level of heterogeneity (I2). Main Outcomes and Measures Study and patient characteristics with pooled detection rates for diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, liver enzyme levels outside reference ranges, and SARS-CoV-2 positivity in feces tests were analyzed. Results Of 1484 records reviewed, 23 published and 6 preprint studies were included in the analysis, with a total of 4805 patients (mean [SD] age, 52.2 [14.8] years; 1598 [33.2%] women) with COVID-19. The pooled rates were 7.4% (95% CI, 4.3%-12.2%) of patients reporting diarrhea and 4.6% (95% CI, 2.6%-8.0%) of patients reporting nausea or vomiting. The pooled rate for aspartate aminotransferase levels outside reference ranges was 20% (95% CI, 15.3%-25.6%) of patients, and the pooled rate for alanine aminotransferase levels outside reference ranges was 14.6% (95% CI, 12.8%-16.6%) of patients. Fecal tests that were positive for SARS-CoV-2 were reported in 8 studies, and viral RNA shedding was detected in feces in 40.5% (95% CI, 27.4%-55.1%) of patients. There was high level of heterogeneity (I2 = 94%), but no statistically significant publication bias noted. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that that 12% of patients with COVID-19 will manifest GI symptoms; however, SAR-CoV-2 shedding was observed in 40.5% of patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. This highlights the need to better understand what measures are needed to prevent further spread of this highly contagious pathogen.

This paper concerns the investigation of the behaviour of sandwich beams previously tested in four point bending through analytical and numerical models. Modelling is a fundamental resource to predict the mechanical response of the element and to investigate the mechanisms that act during the evolution of the test. The sandwich beams here taken into account are characterised by external textile reinforced concrete (TRC) layers and an insulation material (expanded polystyrene, EPS) able to transfer shear stresses. Bond between the layers is obtained during production thanks to an in-pressure casting technique, and no particular device is used in order to transfer shear stresses between the layers. Two beam slenderness values are taken into account. An analytical and a numerical approach have been used in order to predict the experimental behaviour: concerning the analytical approach, a model based on the Stamm and Witte sandwich theory has been developed including material non-linearity ; concerning the numerical analysis, a finite element (FE) model has been built in ABAQUS including material and geometry non-linearity. The assumption of perfect bond is used in both cases. The non-linear analytical and finite element models have been validated, as a good agreement with experimental results has been achieved. The experimental identification of material parameters - TRC in tension, mortar in compression and EPS in tension, compression and shear - is crucial for the definition of proper constitutive laws for the models and is here presented and discussed. For both approaches, the assumptions of modelling TRC in bending as homogeneous and assuming perfect bond between TRC and EPS (even when behaviour becomes highly non-linear) have been proved to be reliable. Analytical and FEM results show that EPS non-linear behaviour and TRC membrane and bending behaviour govern the response. The FE analysis also highlights the mechanisms involved in specimen failure .

Analyses of the Sleeping Beauty Problem are polarised between those advocating the “1/2 view” (“halfers”) and those endorsing the “1/3 view” (“thirders”). The disagreement concerns the evidential relevance of self-locating information. Unlike halfers, thirders regard self-locating information as evidentially relevant in the Sleeping Beauty Problem. In the present study, we systematically manipulate the kind of information available in different formulations of the Sleeping Beauty Problem. Our findings indicate that patterns of judgment on different formulations of the Sleeping Beauty Problem do not fit either the “1/2 view” or the “1/3 view.” Human reasoners tend to acknowledge self-locating evidence as relevant, but discount its weight significantly. Accordingly, self-locating information may trigger more cautious judgments of confirmation than familiar kinds of statistical evidence. We also discuss how these results can advance the debate by providing a more nuanced and empirically grounded account or explication of the evidential impact of self-locating information.

This paper reports the design and the realization of the energetic renovation of a residential building owned by ALER and located in Cinisello Balsamo (MI), by mean of the installation on the existing facades of an innovative insulating prefabricated sandwich panel, for a total of about 520 m2 covered. The energetic renovation process has been organized in the following steps: survey campaign of the existing building’s envelope by means of laser scanning technologies and thermographic survey for the identification of non-homogeneous parts of the building structure, to support the technological design as well as the installation of the prefabricated panels; use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) aimed at supporting the design of both the prefabricated panels and the anchoring systems, towards the automation in the installation of the elements as well as the energy performance evaluation over time; architectural and executive design of the energetic renovation and manufacturing of 186 insulating prefabricated panels, for a total of 28 different typologies, having different sizes, colors and finishing (with and without specific textures); panels’ installation to the existing building facades by means of steel profiles and realization of the finishing works.

Mechanist philosophers have examined several strategies scientistsuse for discovering causal mechanisms in neuroscience. Findingsabout the anatomical organization of the brain play a central role inseveral such strategies. Little attention has been paid, however, to theuse of network analysis and causal modeling techniques formechanism discovery. In particular, mechanist philosophers have notexplored whether and how these strategies incorporate informationabout the anatomical organization of the brain. This paper clarifiesthese issues in the light of the distinction between structural,functional and effective connectivity. Specifically, we examine twoquantitative strategies currently used for causal discovery fromfunctional neuroimaging data: dynamic causal modeling andprobabilistic graphical modeling. We show that dynamic causalmodeling uses findings about the brain’s anatomical organization toimprove the statistical estimation of parameters in an alreadyspecified causal model of the target brain mechanism. Probabilisticgraphical modeling, in contrast, makes no appeal to the brain’sanatomical organization, but lays bare the conditions under whichcorrelational data suffice to license reliable inferences about thecausal organization of a target brain mechanism. The question ofwhether findings about the anatomical organization of the brain canand should constrain the inference of causal networks remains open,but we show how the tools supplied by graphical modeling methodshelp in addressing it.

What's the evidential impact of learning that something is a mystery? To answer this question, we first explicate the notion of a mystery in terms of unexplainability. After distinguishing different ways in which something can be unexplainable, we develop a test to evaluate the evidential impact of two distinct types of unexplainables: symmetrical and asymmetrical unexplainables. We argue that only asymmetrical unexplainables have evidential impact. We finally clarify how our explication of mysteries as unexplainables complements existing accounts of abduction and contributes to the literature on the mystery of consciousness.

Experimental philosophy (x-phi) is a young field of research in the intersection of philosophy and psychology. It aims to make progress on philosophical questions by using experimental methods traditionally associated with the psychological and behavioral sciences, such as null hypothesis significance testing (NHST). Motivated by recent discussions about a methodological crisis in the behavioral sciences, questions have been raised about the methodological standards of x-phi. Here, we focus on one aspect of this question, namely the rate of inconsistencies in statistical reporting. Previous research has examined the extent to which published articles in psychology and other behavioral sciences present statistical inconsistencies in reporting the results of NHST. In this study, we used the R package statcheck to detect statistical inconsistencies in x-phi, and compared rates of inconsistencies in psychology and philosophy. We found that rates of inconsistencies in x-phi are lower than in the psychological and behavioral sciences. From the point of view of statistical reporting consistency, x-phi seems to do no worse, and perhaps even better, than psychological science.

A prefabricated concrete sandwich panel, with insulating material acting as a structural layer able to transfer the shear stresses, is discussed. The use of an in-pressure casting technique allows to avoid the use of glue and to prevent the debonding between the layers thanks to the good bond obtained during the production. Sandwich beams characterized by a thick internal expanded polystyrene foam core and by two thin external Alkali-Resistant glass Textile Reinforced Concrete layers are experimentally investigated according to four point bending scheme. The significant role played by the tangential non linear behaviour of the EPS foam is shown.

A popular view in philosophy of science contends that scientific reasoning is objective to the extent that the appraisal of scientific hypotheses is not influenced by moral, political, economic, or social values, but only by the available evidence. A large body of results in the psychology of motivated-reasoning has put pressure on the empirical adequacy of this view. The present study extends this body of results by providing direct evidence that the moral offensiveness of a scientific hypothesis biases explanatory judgment along several dimensions, even when prior credence in the hypothesis is controlled for. Furthermore, it is shown that this bias is insensitive to an economic incentive to be accurate in the evaluation of the evidence. These results contribute to call into question the attainability of the ideal of a value-free science.

This work investigates the tensile behavior of a textile reinforced concrete (TRC) reinforced with an alkali resistant glass fabric when exposed to freezing–thawing cycles. This paper presents tensile tests carried out on prismatic specimens after their exposure to a different number of freezing–thawing cycles (up to 500). Both un-cracked and pre-cracked specimens were treated and then tested. In all the tests the load direction was aligned with the fabric warp. The influence of this severe environmental condition on ductility and strength of the composite is investigated. The behavior of the composite material seems to be governed, on one side, by the damage due to the thermal cycles and, on the other side, by the matrix self-healing and late hydration due to the permanence in water of the specimens. The latter phenomenon is enhanced by the presence of cracks in pre-cracked specimens, which facilitates the penetration of water.

Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) is considered as a profitable replacement for diffused reinforcement like welded steel mesh, especially for thin cross sections. In case of precast light roof elements, fire becomes a very important condition in the design. A previous experimental programme showed the benefits of steel fibre for fire resistance of bent members when macro-fibres (\(l_{\rm f}= 30\) mm; \(l_{\rm f}/d_{\rm f}=\) 45) are used with reduced contents (content by volume of 0.6 %). The interest to reduce the weight and to prevent the need of any water proofing membrane has suggested to use fibre reinforced high performance material. The material selected was also chosen self-compacting in order to be able to orient straight steel micro-fibres (\(l_{\rm f}= 13\) mm; \(l_{\rm f}/d_{\rm f}=\) 81) in the best direction just controlling the casting flow direction properly. The fibre content selected is equal to 100 kg/m3 (content by volume of 1.2 %), regarded as a minimum quantity to guarantee a safe hardening behaviour for thin elements in direct tension. The material has a cylindrical compressive strength of about 110 MPa. An experimental programme on prismatic specimens has been planned to investigate the behaviour of high perfomance cementitious composite reinforced by micro-fibres, when exposed to high temperatures. A third point bending set-up was adopted. The mechanical characterization was performed after thermal cycles up to three different thermal thresholds (200, 400 and 600 °C). Each thermal cycle was carried out in an electric furnace, by imposing a heating rate of 50 °C/h up to the maximum temperature, a two hours of stabilization phase, and a subsequent cooling at 25 °C/h. The tests confirmed the material as hardening in bending up to 400 °C. Moreover, the behaviour of the fibres were studied testing them at the same thermal damage level.

Explanation is a central concept in human psychology. Drawing upon philosophical theories of explanation, psychologists have recently begun to examine the relationship between explanation, probability and causality. Our study advances this growing literature at the intersection of psychology and philosophy of science by systematically investigating how judgments of explanatory power are affected by (i) the prior credibility of an explanatory hypothesis, (ii) the causal framing of the hypothesis, (iii) the perceived generalizability of the explanation, and (iv) the relation of statistical relevance between hypothesis and evidence. Collectively, the results of our five experiments support the hypothesis that the prior credibility of a causal explanation plays a central role in explanatory reasoning: first, because of the presence of strong main effects on judgments of explanatory power, and second, because of the gate-keeping role it has for other factors. Highly credible explanations are not susceptible to causal framing effects, but they are sensitive to the effects of normatively relevant factors: the generalizability of an explanation, and its statistical relevance for the evidence. These results advance current literature in the philosophy and psychology of explanation in three ways. First, they yield a more nuanced understanding of the determinants of judgments of explanatory power, and the interaction between these factors. Second, they show the close relationship between prior beliefs and explanatory power. Third, they elucidate the nature of abductive reasoning.

Fibre reinforced concrete is a concrete with a diffused reinforcement based on fibre pull-out resistance and its toughness in tension is strongly affected by fibre distribution. The material response of a representative volume is significantly affected by the uncertainties related to fibre location and number: only a homogeneous distribution of fibres can guarantee an isotropic behaviour, but in any case its mechanical behaviour dominated by mode I failure, identified by means of a bent notched beam, shows a large standard deviation. By the way, a structure characterized by a significant capability to redistribute stresses and large fracture volume at the onset of collapse can reduce the sensitivity to the high standard deviation and exhibits a bearing capacity aligned to the average mechanical properties of the composite. In the paper several approaches to compute the coefficient that quantifies this structure ability, K Rd , are proposed, taking as a reference cases a slab on ground and an elevated slab.

Summary Synthesis and scission of phosphodiester bonds in DNA and RNA regulate vital processes within the cell. Enzymes that catalyze these reactions operate mostly via the recognized two-metal-ion mechanism. Our analysis reveals that basic amino acids and monovalent cations occupy structurally conserved positions nearby the active site of many two-metal-ion enzymes for which high-resolution (, Graphical Abstract, Highlights • Basic residues in the active site of two-metal-ion enzymes are structurally conserved • These residues are also conserved in evolution • Mutagenesis suggests these residues may exert an effect on DNA- and RNA processing • Our work offers insights into CRISPR/Cas9, spliceosome, and DNA/RNA polymerases, Genna et al. reveal structural conservation of basic amino acids and monovalent cations in the active site of two-metal-ion enzymes and ribozymes, which catalyze the vital biological reactions of DNA and RNA synthesis and scission. The work offers insights into fundamental two-metal-ion machineries such as CRISPR/Cas9, the spliceosome, and DNA/RNA polymerases.

Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) composites are an effective mean to retrofit damaged structures. Their action depends not only on the behavior in tension of the introduced materials, but also on the bond of the composite with the original substrate. A new Italian standard will be soon introduced, thought to allow the designer to compute the effectiveness of cement-based Externally Bonded Reinforcements (EBR) by combining simple uniaxial tensile tests with shear bond tests. An experimental investigation of FRCMs made of an Alkali-Resistant (AR) glass fabric combined with different matrices and dispersed Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) or high-carbon steel microfibers is presented. In this regard, relevant design parameters are matrix toughness and mortar thixotropy. Following the characterization at the material and at the interface scales, the design procedures introduced by the standard are discussed and critically evaluated with reference to an alternative basic test based on Double Edge Wedge Splitting (DEWS) principles. Preliminary conclusions concerning the reliability of the proposed approach are finally drawn.

Fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) is a material that can be characterized by a high standard deviation in the post-peak tensile region. As consequence, structures made of FRC show a too safe prediction of the maximum bearing capacity when derived from characteristic values identified by means of small standard specimens. The Model Code 2010 has introduced a coefficient, named structural redistribution factor, that is able to take into account a reduced variability of the structural response when compared to that of material. A simplified procedure to provide an upper bound estimation of the structural redistribution factor based on the yield line method and able to take into account the material heterogeneity is presented. As case studies, a FRC full-scale elevated flat slab, a slab on ground and a full-scale beam are considered.

Courtesy of its free energy formulation, the hierarchical predictive processing theory of the brain (PTB) is often claimed to be a grand unifying theory. To test this claim, we examine a central case: activity of mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic (DA) systems. After reviewing the three most prominent hypotheses of DA activity—the anhedonia, incentive salience, and reward prediction error hypotheses—we conclude that the evidence currently vindicates explanatory pluralism. This vindication implies that the grand unifying claims of advocates of PTB are unwarranted. More generally, we suggest that the form of scientific progress in the cognitive sciences is unlikely to be a single overarching grand unifying theory.

In a recent Analysis piece, John Shand (2014) argues that the Predictive Theory of Mind provides a unique explanation for why one cannot play chess against oneself. On the basis of this purported explanatory power, Shand concludes that we have an extra reason to believe that PTM is correct. In this reply, we first rectify the claim that one cannot play chess against oneself; then we move on to argue that even if this were the case, Shand�s argument does not give extra weight to the Predictive Theory of Mind.

Colombo’s (Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 2013) plea for neural representationalism is the focus of a recent contribution to Phenomenology and Cognitive Science by Daniel D. Hutto and Erik Myin. In that paper, Hutto and Myin have tried to show that my arguments fail badly. Here, I want to respond to their critique clarifying the type of neural representationalism put forward in my (Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 2013) piece, and to take the opportunity to make a few remarks of general interest concerning what Hutto and Myin have dubbed “the Hard Problem of Content.”

Life-science phenomena are often explained by specifying the mechanisms that bring them about. The new mechanistic philosophers have done much to substantiate this claim, and to provide us with a better understanding of what mechanisms are and how they explain. While there is disagreement among current mechanists on various issues, they share a common core position and a seeming commitment to some form of scientific realism. But is such a commitment necessary? Is it the best way to go about mechanistic explanation? In this paper, we propose an alternative antirealist account that also fits explanatory practice in the life sciences. We pay special attention to mechanistic models, i.e. scientific models that involve a mechanism, and to the role of coherence considerations in building such models. To illustrate our points, we consider the mechanism for the action potential.

According to the reward-prediction error hypothesis (RPEH) of dopamine, the phasic activity of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain signals a discrepancy between the predicted and currently experienced reward of a particular event. It can be claimed that this hypothesis is deep, elegant and beautiful, representing one of the largest successes of computational neuroscience. This paper examines this claim, making two contributions to existing literature. First, it draws a comprehensive historical account of the main steps that led to the formulation and subsequent success of the RPEH. Second, in light of this historical account, it explains in which sense the RPEH is explanatory and under which conditions it can be justifiably deemed deeper than the incentive salience hypothesis of dopamine, which is arguably the most prominent contemporary alternative to the RPEH.

In the fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010, fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) is recognized as a new material for structures. This introduction will favour forthcoming structural applications because the need of adopting new design concepts and the lack of international building codes have significantly limited its use up to now. In the code, considerable effort has been devoted to introducing a material classification to standardize performance-based production and stimulate an open market for every kind of fibre, favouring the rise of a new technological player: the composite producer. Starting from standard classification, the simple constitutive models introduced allow the designer to identify effective constitutive laws for design, trying to take into account the major contribution in terms of performance and providing good orientation for structural uses. Basic new concepts such as structural characteristic length and new factors related to fibre distribution and structural redistribution benefits are taken into account. A few examples of structural design starting from the constitutive laws identified are briefly shown. FRC can be regarded as a special concrete characterized by a certain toughness after cracking. For this reason, the most important constitutive law introduced is the stress-crack opening response in uniaxial tension. A wide discussion of the constitutive models introduced to describe this behaviour, which controls all the main contributions of fibres for a prevailing mode I crack propagation, is proposed. The validity of the models is discussed with reference to ordinary cross-sections as well as thin-walled elements by adopting plane section or finite element models.

A new-layered precast tunnel segment made of different fibre-reinforced cementitious composites is here proposed. The article aims to study the effect of impulsive distributed pressure over tunnel rings under blast loads for the development of this new design solution. Shock tube experiments have been carried out to investigate a small portion of tunnel segment interacting with soil subjected to a plane shock wave. A set of accelerometers mounted on the specimen and placed inside the soil, as well as strain gauges mounted on the ad hoc chamber containing the specimen and the soil, have provided valuable information on the soil–structure interaction response. A careful investigation on the possible delamination between concrete layers is also carried out by UPV measurements. The experimental results have pointed out the great potential of this new design solution for precast tunnel segments subjected to internal explosions.