STEM: Policy and Programs

« Le discernement, c’est la vertu de prudence, l’intelligence et la raison pratique », dit la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible (TOB) Discerner, c'est pouvoir reconnaître distinctement, c'est-à-dire sortir du brouillard, ou encore percevoir avec acuité les enjeux d'une question. Puis peser, faire un tri par rapport à ce qui est essentiel, important ou urgent, et enfin décider. Voici un essai de synthèse de la riche signification de ce thème qui nous introduit au cœur de la vie chrétienne.

Andean Past 13 includes obituaries of Elizabeth P. (Betty Benson), Lawrence Kaplan, Harold B. (Bud) Rollins, Joan M. Gero, and Alana Cordy-Collins. Articles are by Warwick Bray on a lost emerald source in Ecuador; by Rainer Hostnig and Francois Cuynet on Pukara monoliths; by Brian S. Bauer, Miriam Araoz Silva, and Thomas Hardy on the settlement history of the Lucre Basin, Peru; on the Amaru-Illapa Illa from T'oqocachi, Cusco by Carlos Delgado; on counting and recording chili peppers in Peru's Canete Valley by Sergio Barraza Lescano, Rodrigo Areche Espinola, and Giancarlo Marcone Flores; on the special relationship between the Incas and Arawaks by Darryl Wilkinson; on late prehispanic communities of the upper Maranon by Alexis Mantha; on settlement patterns and collective defense in the Titicaca Basin by Elizabeth Arkush; on the ayllus of the Chanka heartland by Lucas C. Kellett, and on the dynamics of the Raya-Raya farming site by Agustina Scaro. Research reports are on diets at the Caylan site by David Chicoine, Beverly Clement, Linda S. Cummings, Victor Vasquez, and Teresa Rosales; on a central Peruvian coast mortuary assemblage at the Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College by Kylie E. Quave, Christopher Heaney, Alicia Hoffman, and Reed Peck-Kriss; and on three illas figurines from the Mareniyoc site, Callejon de Huaylas by Victor Ponte.

Between 2019 and 2021, Global Digital Heritage (GDH), in collaboration with the University of Sarajevo and the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, carried out the 3D digitization of an important set of stećci preserved both in the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as in some medieval cemeteries near the city of Sarajevo and eastern Bosnia. The medieval cemeteries of stećci constitute a valuable archaeological asset of great historical interest. Yet, stećci are not very known internationally, despite the fact that some have been declared World Heritage in 2016. Since this heritage element is fully exposed to both climate and human activity, these monuments may be considered endangered heritage, subject to continuous degradation. Thus, systematic 3D documentation work is critical to their preservation and study. This paper explores the methodology used and the results obtained by GDH, including the problems and the challenges that must be addressed in order to undertake the systematic 3D digitization of a large number of medieval stećci cemeteries in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Nel film The Menu (2022, regia di Mark Mylod) si mette in scena in modo piuttosto feroce una certa immagine contemporanea della cucina d’autore, altrimenti detta di “ricerca” o “avanguardia” o genericamente “creativa” (questi aggettivi sono spesso ma erroneamente usati nel linguaggio fagocitante dell’informazione come sinonimi). E sono rappresentate con notevole enfasi le reazioni e i comportamenti suscitati da questa cucina. Naturalmente, questo film ha prodotto immediati giudizi polarizzati. Non intendo qui esprimere alcun giudizio sul film, né entrerò in una sua analisi complessiva. Piuttosto, l’opera mi fornisce lo spunto per elaborare alcune riflessioni generali.

The development of new forms of trading and colonial corporation in the latter half of the sixteenth century provided an effective means of regulating the behaviour of people in England and overseas. Livery and urban corporations had played an important role in how commerce was organised in England, providing a framework for commercial education, institutions and law that became central pillars of the new corporate bodies that facilitated global exchange. Across the multiplicity of corporations that governed English activities across the world we can see a set of shared social and cultural conditions that provide an effective means of approaching global history. Through corporations the early modern world became increasingly connected; examining how they were governed in a comparative framework reveals what different corporations shared, but more importantly how they negotiated and adapted to different environments. Effective corporate governance helped establish and integrate transoceanic frameworks that facilitated migration, commerce, and knowledge exchange on a global scale. The chapter surveys how corporate governance developed between 1550 and 1750, focussing in particular on how it sought to regulate the behaviour of employees oversees in Europe, the Levant, the East Indies and the Atlantic World.

In his 1819 Treatise on the Kaleidoscope, Scottish physicist David Brewster describes his newly invented kaleidoscope as a scientific toy designed to “create and exhibit beautiful forms,” “an object of science and of public utility.” Soon after its invention, some of the main features of the kaleidoscope were transformed into a series of discursive metaphors, “betraying” some of the instrument’s key parameters (symmetry, variation, multiplicity, impermanence) and “translating” them through literary and visual imagination into an infinity of kaleidoscopic shapes. Most of these “discursive kaleidoscopes” or “kaleidoscope-images” describe a Modernity less prone to focus, recognition or concentration, and more disposed to the interplay of forms, metamorphoses and phosphenic visions: a dazzled, if not hallucinatory Modernity.

This paper outlines a study of the effect of changing the electrical properties of materials when applied in the Wireless InSite (WI) ray-tracing software. The study was performed at 60 GHz in an indoor propagation environment and supported by Line of Sight (LoS) and Non-LoS measurements data. The study also investigates other factors that may affect the WI sensitivity, including antenna dimensions, antenna pattern, and accuracy of the environment design. In the experiment, single and double reflections from concrete walls and wooden doors are analysed. Experimental results were compared to those obtained from simulation using the WI. It was found that materials selected from the literature should be similar to those of the environment under study in order to have accurate results. WI was found to have an acceptable performance provided certain conditions are met.

The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) portrays an endocrine impairment correlated with numerous metabolic conditions, inclusive of, insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic syndrome (MetS), NAFLD, non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), along with enhanced infertility rate. Recently PCOS has been considered to be a condition with low grade chronic inflammation (LGF) [1,2]. As summarised by Dabravolski., et al. [3] mitochondrial impairment is substantially responsible for PCOS generation and propagation [3]. Mitochondrial mutations, impaired mitophagy, diminished ATP generation and liberated ROS further aids in the related symptoms, primarily IR, MetS and obesity generation. Future investigations might focus on acquisition of a greater advantageous insight of the etiological part of nuclear and mitochondrial gene mutations, epigenetic, environmental apart from lifestyle factors on the aetiopathogenesis of PCOS and the associated symptoms.They summarised the mtDNA mutations identified in PCOS patients. They combined outcomes obtained from case studies (one patient/ family) and wide population assessment. Listed mutations were identified backwards from PCOS-diagnosed patients (Rotterdam criteria-dependent), and healthy people were utilized as a control. Mutations have been highlighted on the human mitochondria genetic map (Figure 1). In total, 33 PCOS correlated mtDNA mutations have been. Twelve mutations have been observed in tRNA genes and just 2 in OXPHOS system. The majority of the identified mutations (20) were identified in the displacement (D) -loop regulatory region, suggesting it as a hot-spot for PCOS-associated mtDNA mutations. Despite various papers have posited mtDNA mutations in the form of etiologic agent for PCOS generation, there are certain arguments against such a causative relation. The main arguments are as follows: (1) the homoplasmic nature of the identified mutations are not associated with other severe clinical symptoms usual for mtDNA mutations that lead to premature ageing and death; (2) some mutations are also present in healthy controls; (3) skeletal muscle functions are not affected [4,5]. Additionally, we have to note that the obtained results have originated from only two ethnic groups (Chinese Han and South Indian), so we cannot rule out selection bias. It is possible that the observed mutations are an example of natural mtDNA variation because wide-population mtDNA analysis of those ethnic groups is still missing. The next crucial point is the lack of standardisation in phenotype description (levels of hormones, degree of oligo/anovulation, and related symptoms like DM, IR, MetS, hypertension, CVD and others) [6].The group of Muscogiuri initially posited that of the 2 isoforms of inositol, myo in addition to D-chiro, might be possessing a key part in tackling metabolic along with endocrine paradigms towards homeostasis that counters the signs and symptoms canonical of PCOS. Additionally, certain recent studies concentrated ion Mediterranean diet (MD) along with ketogenic diet (KD) to yield positive outcomes in patients who were influenced by overweight/obesity and T2DM, hence these diets might be of use in PCOS [7]. Furthermore, very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) is rapidly proving to be advantageous not only in obesity but also in the treatment of other metabolic diseases. Recently we highlighted the promising benefits of KD over MD in overweight/obesity and T2DM patients. In view of PCOS shares LGF with these metabolic disease lot of work has accumulated in MD along with VLCKD in cases of PCOS [8].Recently Cicione., et al. [10], from the same group of Muscogiuri and Barrea (an authority on diet management) tried assessment of PCOS with KD in overweight/obese patients with PCOS in addition to analysed probable advantageous actions on metabolic along with endocrine paradigms in contrast to standardized, balanced hypocaloric diet like MD. Enrolled patients were divided in a 1: 1 ratio, randomized to receive KD or MD. In all patients anthropometric parameters, metabolic along with endocrine paradigms were taken at baseline subsequent to dietetic treatment. Their outcomes revealed significant alterations in anthropometric parameters along with biochemical paradigms which were statistically significant (p < 0.001) in both groups subsequent to both types of diet treatments. Despite, the decrease of all paradigms were significantly greater in KD in contrast to MD group. Thus concluding that decrease of carbohydrates by KD might be of benefits in Pharmacologic therapy of PCOS [10]. Nevertheless, it is significant to note that these dietetic therapies are only meant for obese PCOS whereas in lean PCOS weight gain is advised [9]. Future trials are still needed for standardization of components of MD and KD (precise restriction of carbohydrates).Recently Cicione., et al. [10], from the same group of Muscogiuri and Barrea (an authority on diet management) tried assessment of PCOS with KD in overweight/obese patients with PCOS in addition to analysed probable advantageous actions on metabolic along with endocrine paradigms in contrast to standardized, balanced hypocaloric diet like MD. Enrolled patients were divided in a 1: 1 ratio, randomized to receive KD or MD. In all patients anthropometric parameters, metabolic along with endocrine paradigms were taken at baseline subsequent to dietetic treatment. Their outcomes revealed significant alterations in anthropometric parameters along with biochemical paradigms which were statistically significant (p < 0.001) in both groups subsequent to both types of diet treatments. Despite, the decrease of all paradigms were significantly greater in KD in contrast to MD group. Thus concluding that decrease of carbohydrates by KD might be of benefits in Pharmacologic therapy of PCOS [10]. Nevertheless, it is significant to note that these dietetic therapies are only meant for obese PCOS whereas in lean PCOS weight gain is advised [9]. Future trials are still needed for standardization of components of MD and KD (precise restriction of carbohydrates).

Ethnobiological studies on folk, common, or popular names that fishers use to identify fish can help improve fisheries monitoring and collaborations between fishers and researchers. This study investigates fishers’ knowledge (recognition, naming, and habitat use) on 115 and 119 fish species, respectively, in the Negro and Tapajos Rivers, two megadiverse rivers in the Brazilian Amazon, and investigates the relationship between such knowledge and fish importance to fisheries, fish abundance, and fish size. We also compared fishers’ perceptions on fisheries and fish abundance with literature data on fish harvests and fish sampling. We interviewed 16 fishers in 16 communities (one fisher per community, 8 communities along each river). These fishers recognized an average of 91 ± 10.4 species in the Negro River and 115 ± 7.2 species in the Tapajos River, but all fishers recognized 114 species in Negro and all species in Tapajos. The fishers’ knowledge of fish species was positively relate...