Earlier Version Research Articles

Test-retest reliability of eye tracking measures in a computerized Trail Making Test.

The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a frequently applied neuropsychological test that evaluates participants' executive functions based on their time to connect a sequence of numbers (TMT-A) or alternating numbers and letters (TMT-B). Test performance is associated with various cognitive functions ranging from visuomotor speed to working memory capabilities. However, although the test can screen for impaired executive functioning in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, it provides only little information about which specific cognitive impairments underlie performance detriments. To resolve this lack of specificity, recent cognitive research combined the TMT with eye tracking so that eye movements could help uncover reasons for performance impairments. However, using eye-tracking-based test scores to examine differences between persons, and ultimately apply the scores for diagnostics, presupposes that the reliability of the scores is established. Therefore, we investigated the test-retest reliabilities of scores in an eye-tracking version of the TMT recently introduced by Recker etal. (2022). We examined two healthy samples performing an initial test and then a retest 3days (n = 31) or 10 to 30days (n = 34) later. Results reveal that, although reliabilities of classic completion times were overall good, comparable with earlier versions, reliabilities of eye-tracking-based scores ranged from excellent (e.g., durations of fixations) to poor (e.g., number of fixations guiding manual responses). These findings indicate that some eye-tracking measures offer a strong basis for assessing interindividual differences beyond classic behavioral measures when examining processes related to information accumulation processes but are less suitable to diagnose differences in eye-hand coordination.

Overview of mathematical background of homogenization, summary of method MASH and comments on benchmark validation

AbstractThere are several methods and software for the homogenization of climate data series but there is not any exact mathematical theory of homogenization. As we see, the basic problem of homogenization is the unreasonable dominance of the practical procedures over the theory. Therefore we try to formulate some questions of homogenization in accordance with the mathematical conventions. The topics to be discussed are as follows. (a) Themes and systems—meteorological, mathematical and software links. (b) Mathematical formulation of climate data series homogenization and special case of normal distribution. (c) Additive and multiplicative spatiotemporal models for climate data series homogenization. (d) Mathematical overview of methodological questions as, spatial comparison of series, inhomogeneity detection and adjustment of series, in accordance with the WMO Guidelines on Homogenisation (2020). (e) The last topic is the new version of MASH for homogenization of mean and standard deviation. The earlier versions of our method MASH (Multiple Analysis of Series for Homogenization; Szentimrey) were developed formerly at the Hungarian Meteorological Service. These procedures aimed to homogenize the daily and monthly data series in the mean, that is, the first order moment. The new version MASHv4.01 has been developed for joint homogenization of mean and standard deviation using some mathematical results. Theoretically, in case of normal distribution, the homogenization of mean and standard deviation is sufficient since if the first two moments are homogenous then the higher order moments are also homogeneous. An interactive automatic algorithm also was developed in this new version in order to make the homogenization easier for the users. We will present a summary of the software MASH where our intention was to develop a flexible, interactive automatic, artificial intelligence (AI) system. We finish the paper with some comments connected to the theoretical evaluation and benchmark validation of the methods.

How does tropospheric VOC chemistry affect climate? An investigation of preindustrial control simulations using the Community Earth System Model version 2

Abstract. Because of their computational expense, models with comprehensive tropospheric chemistry have typically been run with prescribed sea surface temperatures (SSTs), which greatly limits the model's ability to generate climate responses to atmospheric forcings. In the past few years, however, several fully coupled models with comprehensive tropospheric chemistry have been developed. For example, the Community Earth System Model version 2 with the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model version 6 as its atmospheric component (CESM2-WACCM6) has implemented fully interactive tropospheric chemistry with 231 chemical species as well as a fully coupled ocean. Earlier versions of this model used a “SOAG scheme” that prescribes bulk emission of a single gas-phase precursor to secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). In contrast, CESM2-WACCM6 simulates the chemistry of a comprehensive range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for tropospheric aerosol formation. Such a model offers an opportunity to examine the full climate effects of comprehensive tropospheric chemistry. To examine these effects, 211-year preindustrial control simulations were performed using the following two configurations: (1) the standard CESM2-WACCM6 configuration with interactive chemistry over the whole atmosphere (WACtl) and (2) a simplified CESM2-WACCM6 configuration using a SOAG scheme in the troposphere and interactive chemistry in the middle atmosphere (MACtl). The middle-atmospheric chemistry is the same in both configurations, and only the tropospheric chemistry differs. Differences between WACtl and MACtl were analyzed for various fields. Regional differences in annual mean surface temperature range from −4 to 4 K. In the zonal average, there is widespread tropospheric cooling in the extratropics. Longwave forcers are shown to be unlikely drivers of this cooling, and possible shortwave forcers are explored. Evidence is presented that the climate response is primarily due to increased sulfate aerosols in the extratropical stratosphere and cloud feedbacks. As found in earlier studies, enhanced internal mixing with SOAs in WACtl causes widespread reductions of black carbon (BC) and primary organic matter (POM), which are not directly influenced by VOC chemistry. These BC and POM reductions might further contribute to cooling in the Northern Hemisphere. The extratropical tropospheric cooling results in dynamical changes, such as equatorward shifts of the midlatitude jets, which in turn drive extratropical changes in clouds and precipitation. In the tropical upper troposphere, cloud-driven increases in shortwave heating appear to weaken and expand the Hadley circulation, which in turn drives changes in tropical and subtropical precipitation. Some of the climate responses are quantitatively large enough in some regions to motivate future investigations of VOC chemistry's possible influences on anthropogenic climate change.

Impacts of census differential privacy for small-area disease mapping to monitor health inequities.

The U.S. Census Bureau will implement a modernized privacy-preserving disclosure avoidance system (DAS), which includes application of differential privacy, on publicly released 2020 census data. There are concerns that the DAS may bias small-area and demographically stratified population counts, which play a critical role in public health research, serving as denominators in estimation of disease/mortality rates. Using three DAS demonstration products, we quantify errors attributable to reliance on DAS-protected denominators in standard small-area disease mapping models for characterizing health inequities. We conduct simulation studies and real data analyses of inequities in premature mortality at the census tract level in Massachusetts and Georgia. Results show that overall patterns of inequity by racialized group and economic deprivation level are not compromised by the DAS. While early versions of DAS induce errors in mortality rate estimation that are larger for Black than non-Hispanic white populations in Massachusetts, this issue is ameliorated in newer DAS versions.

The Iceland–Faroe warm-water flow towards the Arctic estimated from satellite altimetry and in situ observations

Abstract. The inflow of warm and saline Atlantic water to the Arctic Mediterranean (Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean) between Iceland and the Faroes (IF inflow) is the strongest Atlantic inflow branch in terms of volume transport and is associated with a large transport of heat towards the Arctic. The IF inflow is monitored in a section east of the Iceland–Faroe Ridge (IFR) by use of sea level anomaly (SLA) data from satellite altimetry, a method that has been calibrated by in situ observations gathered over 2 decades. Monthly averaged surface velocity anomalies calculated from SLA data were strongly correlated with anomalies measured by moored acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) with consistently higher correlations when using the reprocessed SLA data released in December 2021 rather than the earlier version. In contrast to the earlier version, the reprocessed data also had the correct conversion factor between sea level slope and surface velocity required by geostrophy. Our results show that the IF inflow crosses the IFR in two separate branches. The Icelandic branch is a jet over the Icelandic slope with average surface speed exceeding 20 cm s−1, but it is narrow and shallow with an average volume transport of less than 1 Sv (106 m3 s−1). Most of the Atlantic water crosses the IFR close to its southernmost end in the Faroese branch. Between these two branches, water from the Icelandic branch turns back onto the ridge in a retroflection with a recirculation over the northernmost bank on the IFR. Combining multi-sensor in situ observations with satellite SLA data, monthly mean volume transport of the IF inflow has been determined from January 1993 to December 2021. The IF inflow is part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which is expected to weaken under continued global warming. Our results show no weakening of the IF inflow. Annually averaged volume transport of Atlantic water through the monitoring section had a statistically significant (95 % confidence level) increasing trend of (0.12±0.10) Sv per decade. Combined with increasing temperature, this caused an increase of 13 % in the heat transport, relative to 0 ∘C, towards the Arctic of the IF inflow over the 29 years of monitoring. The near-bottom layer over most of the IFR is dominated by cold water of Arctic origin that may contribute to the overflow across the ridge. Our observations confirm a dynamic link between the overflow and the Atlantic water flow above. The results also provide support for a previously posed hypothesis that this link may explain the difficulties in reproducing observed transport variations in the IF inflow in numerical ocean models, with consequences for its predictability under climate change.

What kind of questions do creative people ask?

Asking questions is a key characteristic of creativity and an important component of the creative process. Although much evidence has supported the association between asking questions and creativity, less research has examined the nature of questions asked by creative persons. In this study, we investigated the relation between creativity indicators—fluency and originality—and three types of questions: Open- vs. Closed-Ended questions, Possibility thinking, and Temporal thinking. To examine these relationships, we conducted four sets of analyses using questions posed by a sample of undergraduate students (n = 165) in two divergent thinking tasks (i.e., Activity 1 – Asking Questions and Activity 6 – Unusual Questions) from two different forms (i.e., Form A and Form B) of an earlier version of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking—Verbal. Results indicated that participants with higher originality and fluency scores were more likely to ask Open-Ended Questions. Additionally, creativity indicators were significantly associated with Possibility Thinking Questions in Activity 6, and Temporal Thinking Questions in Form A – Activity 1. We discussed the implications of the findings and potential reasons for varied results.

Initial Clinical Images From a Second-Generation Prototype Silicon-Based Photon-Counting Computed Tomography System

To demonstrate the feasibility andpotential of using a second-generation prototype photon-counting computed tomography (CT) system to provide simultaneous high spatial resolution images and high spectral resolution material information across a range of routine imaging tasks using clinical patient exposure levels. The photon-counting system employs an innovative silicon-based photon-counting detector to provide a balanced approach to ultra-high-resolution spectral CT imaging. An initial cohort of volunteer subjects was imaged using the prototype photon-counting system. Acquisition technique parameters and radiation dose exposures were guided by routine clinical exposure levels used at the institution. Images were reconstructed in native slice thickness using an early version of a spectral CT reconstruction algorithm Samples of images across a range of clinical tasks were selected and presented for review. Clinical cases are presented across inner ear, carotid angiography, chest, and musculoskeletal imaging tasks. Initial reconstructed images illustrate ultra-high spatial resolution imaging. The fine detail of small structures and pathologies is clearly visualized, and structural boundaries are well delineated. The prototype system additionally provides concomitant spectral information with high spatial resolution. This initial study demonstrates that routine imaging at clinically appropriate patient exposure levels is feasible using a novel deep-silicon photon-counting detector CT system. Furthermore, a deep-silicon detector may provide a balanced approach to photon-counting CT, providing high spatial resolution imaging with simultaneous high-fidelity spectral information.

The CKD-EPI 2021 Equation and Other Creatinine-Based Race-Independent eGFR Equations in Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosis and Staging.

Recent debate on the race correction factor in creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) has led to the development of a new race-independent equation (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration, CKD-EPI_2021). Previously, some institutions have already modified the early version of the CKD-EPI or Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations by removing the race factors (CKD-EPI_2009_non-Black (NB), MDRD_NB) for Black populations although this approach remains controversial. In this study, the CKD-EPI_2009_NB, MDRD_NB, and European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) equations were compared directly with the CKD-EPI_2021 equation in eGFR calculation, chronic kidney disease (CKD) diagnosis, and staging in a local population. These 3 previous methods underestimated eGFR compared to CKD-EPI_2021 for eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 but overestimated eGFR at the high end (>120 mL/min/1.73 m2). Around the CKD diagnosis cutoff (60 mL/min/1.73 m2), both MDRD_NB and EFKC equations resulted in an increase in CKD cases compared to CKD-EPI_2021. CKD-EPI_2009_NB demonstrated a similar trend although the difference was not statistically significant. In a population with low eGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73 m2), the EKFC equation showed a CKD staging pattern significantly different from that by CKD-EPI_2021, but all 3 previous methods resulted in a similar number of end-stage renal failure cases. In general, the EKFC equation demonstrated a weaker agreement in eGFR calculation and concordance in classification with the CKD-EPI_2021 equation than MDRD_NB and CKD-EPI_2009_NB. Our study provides a direct visual comparison to demonstrate the potential clinical impact between 3 previously used race-independent methods and the CKD-EPI_2021 equation and aids the communication with healthcare providers during the implementation of this new equation.

Online event recognition over noisy data streams

Composite event recognition (CER) systems process streams of sensor data and infer composite events of interest by means of pattern matching. Data uncertainty is frequent in CER applications and results in erroneous detection. To support streaming applications, we present oPIECbd, an extension of oPIEC with a bounded memory, leveraging interval duration statistics to resolve memory conflicts. oPIECbd may achieve comparable predictive accuracy to batch reasoning, avoiding the prohibitive cost of such reasoning. Furthermore, the use of interval duration statistics allows oPIECbd to outperform significantly earlier versions of bounded oPIEC. The empirical evaluation demonstrates the efficacy of oPIECbd on a benchmark activity recognition dataset, as well as real data streams from the field of maritime situational awareness.

Vegetation structural shift tells environmental changes on the Tibetan Plateau over 40 years

Structural information of grassland changes on the Tibetan Plateau is essential for understanding alterations in critical ecosystem functioning and their underlying drivers that may reflect environmental changes. However, such information at the regional scale is still lacking due to methodological limitations. Beyond remote sensing indicators only recognizing vegetation productivity, we utilized multivariate data fusion and deep learning to characterize formation-based plant community structure in alpine grasslands at the regional scale of the Tibetan Plateau for the first time and compared it with the earlier version of Vegetation Map of China for historical changes. Over the past 40 years, we revealed that (1) the proportion of alpine meadows in alpine grasslands increased from 50% to 69%, well-reflecting the warming and wetting trend; (2) dominances of Kobresia pygmaea and Stipa purpurea formations in alpine meadows and steppes were strengthened to 76% and 92%, respectively; (3) the climate factor mainly drove the distribution of Stipa purpurea formation, but not the recent distribution of Kobresia pygmaea formation that was likely shaped by human activities. Therefore, the underlying mechanisms of grassland changes over the past 40 years were considered to be formation dependent. Overall, the first exploration for structural information of plant community changes in this study not only provides a new perspective to understand drivers of grassland changes and their spatial heterogeneity at the regional scale of the Tibetan Plateau, but also innovates large-scale vegetation study paradigm.

Linking policy and practice in monitoring socially responsible research and innovation (RRI): A conceptual framework to evaluate progress through the UNESCO-led Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers.

This paper sets out a high-level conceptual framework for monitoring the development of socially responsible research and innovation (RRI) systems linked to the global policy instrument called 'the Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers' (RSSR).RRI is an umbrella concept, rooted in EU policy and research, that encompasses a range of topics that overlap directly with the RSSR. These topics include social inclusion in scientific research, improved scientific transparency and governance and expanded public engagement with science. The RSSR is an international accord ratified by 195 United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Member States in 2017, updating an earlier version of the instrument. This UNESCO-led initiative offers a globally inclusive and agreed structure for advancing RRI-related principles. A key feature of the RSSR initiative is its permanent structure of quadrennial monitoring to assess implementation of its principles. Here, a conceptual framework is presented to clarify the specific dimensions of RRI embedded in the 10 key priority areas for this quadrennial monitoring process. The paper explicates these dimensions and the underpinning policy language from the 2017 recommendation with the aim of supporting UNESCO Member States and research stakeholders globally to design appropriate evaluation methods. This conceptual framework is intended to support development of globally aligned measurement of RRI policy and practice that allows research and policy stakeholders from each world region to learn from each other. Fostering mutual learning on a global scale will help to enable evidence-based practice in the context of RRI to improve outcomes and mitigate the limitations of well-meaning but ineffective policies and practices.

Validation of the StimQ2: A parent-report measure of cognitive stimulation in the home.

Considerable evidence demonstrates the importance of the cognitive home environment in supporting children's language, cognition, and school readiness more broadly. This is particularly important for children from low-income backgrounds, as cognitive stimulation is a key area of resilience that mediates the impact of poverty on child development. Researchers and clinicians have therefore highlighted the need to quantify cognitive stimulation; however existing methodological approaches frequently utilize home visits and/or labor-intensive observations and coding. Here, we examined the reliability and validity of the StimQ2, a parent-report measure of the cognitive home environment that can be delivered efficiently and at low cost. StimQ2 improves upon earlier versions of the instrument by removing outdated items, assessing additional domains of cognitive stimulation and providing new scoring systems. Findings suggest that the StimQ2 is a reliable and valid measure of the cognitive home environment for children from infancy through the preschool period.

A Clinically Viable Medial Olivocochlear Reflex Assay Using Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions.

The contralateral medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) strength may indicate various auditory conditions in humans, but a clinically viable assay and equipment are needed for quick, accurate, and reliable measurements. The first experiment compared an earlier version of the assay, which used a nonlinear-mode chirp stimulus, with a new assay using a linear-mode click stimulus, designed to give reliable MOCR measurements in most normal-hearing ears. The second experiment extended the improved assay on a purpose-built binaural hardware platform that used forward-pressure level (FPL) calibration for both the stimulus and the contralateral MOCR elicitor. Transient-evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) tests were measured with and without a 60-dB SPL MOCR-evoking contralateral broadband noise. The normalized MOCR strength (MOCR%) was derived from the TEOAE responses for each trial pair using the complex pressure difference weighted by the TEOAE magnitude. Experiment 1 compared MOCR% within-subject and across-day using two TEOAE stimuli: nonlinear-mode chirps (50 dB SPL, bandpass 1-5 kHz, 14 ms window delayed by 2 ms) and linear-mode clicks (50 dB SPL, bandpass 0.5-2.5 kHz, 13 ms window delayed by 5 ms). TEOAE responses were analyzed in the 0.5 to 2.5 kHz band. Thirty adult participants with normal hearing (30 ears) completed the study. The TEOAE stimulus was calibrated in situ using spectral flattening, and the contralateral noise was calibrated in a coupler. Twelve TEOAE trial pairs were collected for each participant and condition. Experiment 2 used a purpose-built binaural system. The TEOAE stimuli were linear-mode clicks (50 dB SPL, bandpass 1-3 kHz, 13 ms window delayed by 5 ms), analyzed in the 1 to 3 kHz band over ~12 trial pairs. After a probe refit, an additional trial pair was collected for the two early-stopping signal-to-noise ratio criteria (15 and 20 dB). They were evaluated for single-trial reliability and test time. Nineteen adult participants with normal hearing (38 ears) completed the study. The TEOAE clicks and contralateral elicitor noise were calibrated in situ using FPL and delivered with automated timing. MOCR% for linear-mode clicks was distinguishable from measurement variability in 98% to 100% of participants' ears (both experiments), compared with only 73% for the nonlinear-mode chirp (experiment 1). MOCR detectability was assessed using the MOCR% across-subject/within-subject variance ratio. The ratio in experiment 1 for linear-mode clicks was higher (8.0) than for nonlinear-mode chirps (6.4). The ratio for linear-mode clicks (8.9) in experiment 2 was slightly higher than for the comparable linear-mode stimulus (8.0) in experiment 1. TEOAEs showed excellent reliability with high signal-to-noise ratios in both experiments, but reliability was higher for linear-mode clicks than nonlinear-mode chirps. MOCR reliability for the two stimuli was comparable. The FPL pressure response retest reliability derived from the SPL at the microphone was higher than the SPL retest reliability across 0.4 to 8 kHz. Stable results required 2 to 3 trial pairs for the linear-mode click (experiments 1 and 2) and three for the nonlinear-mode chirp (experiment 1), taking around 2 min on average. The linear-mode click assay produced measurable, reliable, and stable TEOAE and MOCR results on both hardware platforms in around 2 min per ear. The stimulus design and response window ensured that any stimulus artifact in linear mode was unlikely to confound the results. The refined assay is ready to produce high-quality data quickly for clinical and field studies to develop population norms, recognize diagnostic patterns, and determine risk profiles.

Areas of Assessment and Regional Differences in the Volume and Qualitative Structure of the Housing Market in Russia

Residential real estate is one of the most important types of assets, the lack of which becomes impossible the existence and development of the economy. For an entire sector of households, dwellings are not only a source of livelihood, but also determine the cost of living. Moreover, in the 2008 SNA Manual the production of housing services by homeowners for their own consumption is included in the production boundary (as in earlier versions of the UN SNA). This once again emphasizes the importance of studying the housing stock as the most important basis for the real estate market. In addition, the volume, dynamics and structure of the housing stock in various areas of classification is an important factor in the formation of the real estate market, its object-by-object basis, as well as the development of the activities of the subjects of this market. The above considerations determined the relevance of studying the composition and structure of the housing stock of the Russian Federation, including regional differences in the housing stock in the context of a complex of classification features.

EuDiS - A comprehensive database of the seed dispersal syndromes of the European flora.

Seed dispersal is a critical process in plant colonisation and demography. Fruits and seeds can be transported by several vectors (typically animals, wind and water), which may have exerted strong selective pressures on plant's morphological traits. The set of traits that favour dispersal by a specific vector have been historically considered as seed dispersal syndromes. As seed dispersal syndromes have a great potential to predict how seeds move (i.e. the relative importance of the standard mechanisms of seed dispersal), they have attracted the attention of naturalists and researchers for centuries. However, given that observations of actual dispersal events and colonisation are seldom reported, there is still much confusion in current studies failing to properly discriminate between seed dispersal syndromes (i.e. sets of traits that favour a particular mechanism) and actual seed dispersal (i.e. the vector that moves a given seed in one dispersal event). This distinction is important because the presence of any seed dispersal syndrome does not preclude the seed being occasionally dispersed by other non-standard mechanisms (i.e. different from the one predicted). Similarly, the absence of seed dispersal syndromes does not prevent seeds from being dispersed. The correct coding of seed dispersal syndromes thus requires a systematic and evolutive, rather than a phenomenological approach. Unfortunately, such approach has rarely been implemented at a community-level and no comprehensive datasets of seed dispersal syndromes are yet available for any entire flora. This database contains categorisation of the native European flora into eight seed dispersal syndromes. Information for a total of 9,874 species retrieved from the volumes of Flora Europaea were analysed. Earlier versions of this database, which only coded for the presence of four long-distance dispersal syndromes (endozoochorous, epizoochorous, thalassochorous and anemochorous diaspores), were used in four previous studies. Here, we present a fully revised and expanded database, including the presence of four additional short-distance dispersal syndromes (myrmecochorous, vertebrate hoarding, freshwater hydrochorous and ballochorous diaspores), a nomenclatural update for all species and the codification of 416 additional species.Roughly half (51.3%) of the native European flora produce diaspores without traits clearly associated with facilitating seed dispersal. The other half (48.7%) of the European plant species produces diaspores with some specialised traits associated with seed dispersal, most of which (79.9%) with a potential to facilitate long-distance dispersal events. The most common diaspores are those with anemochorous (23.5%), epizoochorous (8.0%), endozoochorous (7.8%), myrmecochorous (7.2%), thalassochorous (2.3%), freshwater dispersal (2.1%), ballochorous (4.6%) and vertebrate hoarding associated traits (0.2%). Two-thirds (66.3%) of the European shrub and tree species have diaspores with some specialisation for biotic seed dispersal.

Transference

ABSTRACT The article presents a view of transference from the early versions of transference by Classical/Structural analysts, through a variety of analytic positions that extend and implicitly question the concept of transference. After looking at Brenner and Bird's transference positions, we trace the beginning of relational analysis as articulated by Gill. The differences among several subsequent relational positions are then explicated. Self-Psychology is conceptualized as providing a clarification of Freud's view of narcissism leading to a new perspective on narcissistic transference states. The article concludes by detailing Contemporary Freudian concepts that integrate various object relation positions within an overriding Freudian theoretical structure. The Contemporary Freudian positions in some ways mirror Ogden's attempts to integrate diverse positions.

The Second Teacher's Story in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas: A Contribution to the Recent Discussion on the Developmental Interpretation

AbstractThe article explains the problematic Second Teacher episode in the so-called developmental interpretation of IGT recently proposed by M. R. Whitenton and J. R. C. Cousland. The article shows that the killing of the second teacher in the text of Gs, which is appropriately identified as problematic for the developmental interpretation, appears to be a later version of the episode that most likely already sought to supplement a more original account. In the earliest recoverable form, preserved in the early versions (Syriac, Latin and Ethiopic), the story consistently does not blame Jesus for the death of the second teacher, either in the episode itself or in the other passages. So in the earliest surviving version(s), the teacher dies but not because of a curse from Jesus. Therefore, this episode does not disturb the so-called developmental interpretation.

Þistil, mistil, kistil: Plants of Death, Rebirth, and Magic in Medieval Scandinavian Runic Inscriptions

<i>Þistil, mistil, kistil</i>: Plants of Death, Rebirth, and Magic in Medieval Scandinavian Runic Inscriptions

The man who became a Blue Glass. Reflectance hyperspectral imaging discloses a hidden Picasso painting of the Blue period

Reflectance hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the Visible and Near-IR (VNIR) to the Short Wave IR (SWIR) ranges is acknowledged as one of the most effective techniques for non-invasive examination of paintings. Recently, in some important museums worldwide a new trend has emerged towards a more systematic use of reflectance HSI, which is applied as advanced imaging technique to attain at once analysis and documentation of the painted surfaces and inner layers. As an example of this trend, in the framework of the interdisciplinary program “Picasso: Blue Project” recently carried out at the Museu Picasso in Barcelona, a selection of paintings of the Blue Period (1901–1904) collection were revisited through the eye of cutting-edge analytical techniques, including reflectance HSI. The present paper focuses on the painting “The Blue Glass” (La Copa Blava, 1903), which was examined by using a high-performance reflectance HSI instrumentation. Under its visible surface, this iconic oil on canvas featured a stratification of different compositions that perfectly witnessed the Picasso's creative process. The HSI data enabled an unprecedented visualisation of the artistic metamorphosis of this painting. The well-known Picasso's creative practice of repainting on his own canvas was brought to the light by means of HSI images, which offered unique materials for visualising the hidden layers of the painting, by disclosing subsequent and unknown earlier versions and the artistic evolution of the painting. The outcomes of the project were disseminated in an exhibition, that addressed the ambitious objective of sharing with the wide public scholarly advanced knowledge hitherto gained on the Picasso Blue Period. Within this context, reflectance HSI proved to be exceptionally effective, not only for addressing analytical tasks, but also for educational purposes.

Transmedia Worldbuilding and Mashup Mythology in Penny Dreadful

By focusing on the merged and interfigural nature of the characters and mythology in the Penny Dreadful transmedia world, this article seeks to demonstrate that transmedia characters are essential to transmedia worlds; they are anchors from which plots and mythology develop and expand. This is contrary to what is proposed by, for instance, Susana Tosca and Lisbeth Klastrup in earlier versions of their transmedial world theory, where character in their own formulation were “subsumed under the category of mythos” (Tosca &amp; Klastrup 2020, 37). Instead, this article argues for the opposite scenario, that the construction of mythology in Penny Dreadful’s transmedia world is intricately tied to specific mythic plot structures, defining character conflicts, character narrators, and to serialized character development as well as character elaboration across media.