Investigation Of Different Aspects Research Articles

Points About Points with A Point: Nature of Smallest Scale Universals

This paper is an investigation of different aspects of the smallest scales possible and their relationships with larger scale phenomena. The relationships between the abstract and the concrete aspects of perspectives about time and space are considered. The phenomenon of continuity of motion is discussed, and the small-scale philosophical implications of continuity of motion could help to explain the reasoning behind why the speed of light is the way that it is, and why the speed of light squared is a constant. Fractions of a point are proven to an extent to be a useful idea, and a thought experiment that demonstrates speeds of fractions of a point per instant is included in this paper. Possible paradoxes related to singularities are discussed briefly within this paper, too. Absolute, relative, and unpredictable definitions of points and instants are discussed and shown to potentially provide some natural reasoning to observed discrepancies between scientific theories, perceived warping of space-time, and the uncertainty principle. Also, a philosophical interpretation of the term extra dimensions which involves the idea of fractions of a point could be useful for attempts at a unified theory of science and is included in this paper Nature of Smallest Scale Universals The nature of the smallest scales theoretically possible can have large-scale ramifications when the large-scale is considered as the philosophical sum of it parts. When considered cumulatively, the nature of the smallest scales can really add up to some larger scale repercussions. Even in the mystery of how something could exist instead of nothing, something existing at all is made more feasible by the realization that it is only asking the smallest possible amount, or an infinitesimal amount, or a mathematically approximately equal amount for the smallest scales to manifest as a phenomenon. This means that in one light, it’s only asking for a whole lot of approximately nothing for a whole lot of stuff to manifest. That sounds approximately like more reasoning behind how something could exist at all than just not knowing. The nature of the smallest scales has other philosophical insights to offer as well. This paper aims to investigate the philosophical nature of the smallest scales, some of the small and large-scale relationships that are implicated by those philosophies, and some of the different repercussions that are results of the philosophies involved.

Critical infrastructure defense: perspectives from the EU and USA cyber experts

Purpose. To examine the components of cyber autonomy according to the insights of seasoned professionals from the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA). The value of each element will be calculated by obtaining data from structured in-depth interviews. Methodology. Through an investigation of different aspects of the research, we used the Delphi technique and research interviews include the option of the Interviewee Transcript Review (ITR). The Delphi method is processed in several rounds, usually three, with two rounds being considered as a minimum and in that respect the Delphi method helps our study explore, predict and identify the nature and fundamental elements of Cyber Autonomy. Findings. The study findings demonstrate that elements such as “Policies”, “Reputation management”, and “Infrastructure and Architecture” hold substantial importance within Cyber Autonomy. These elements are considered critical for future perspectives. The research highlights the role of Cyber Autonomy in streamlining cybersecurity approaches, mitigating the impact of cyber-attacks, and safeguarding possible reputation damage. The study also highlights the importance of well-defined implementation methods and the organizational structure in successfully deploying Cyber Autonomy. Originality. The research demonstrates the interdisciplinary nature of cybersecurity and applies a comprehensive approach covering information security, information security policy, technical and economic aspects, noting the important role of governance in the company share value recovery process. Cyber Autonomy could offer a concept of defense reputation that helps to identify potential cyber threats that are further intensified in connection with the development of various platforms for remote control of artificial intelligence, distance learning, and opportunities for autonomous operation of enterprise systems, the influence of multinational companies on financial markets, and automated decision-making systems. Practical value. Experts’ insights are analyzed that can help to provide practical solutions for the Cyber Autonomy and risk management methods for implementing cyber resilience strategy for critical infrastructure. The research provides adjustments to existing cybersecurity frameworks and directives which consider new cyber elements of information security realities. The current study can be used as a guide to confidence-building measures for possible reputation and financial loss, reinforces protection actions against disinformation or negative cyber impact.

A Fundamental Investigation of the Early Neolithic of Southern China

The reviewed investigation made by Stanisław Robert Kuczera “The Antique and Ancient History of China. Early Neolithic of the South” (Moscow, St. Peterburg, Nestor-Istoriya, 2020, 596 p.) provides an overview of the main early Neolithic complexes in the south of China. The work has been carried out for several dozens of years and is based on the analysis of more than 2000 different scientific publications. In terms of its depth and thoroughness of presented research, this monograph has no analogues in the Russian language. Based on the systematization and analysis of the scientific articles of Chinese archaeologists it presents an overview of migrations, emergence of ceramics, methods of stone processing, domestication of plants and animals in the Early Neolithic of southern China. Radiocarbon data of the archaeological sites is being widely presented in Russian for the first time. Four chapters provide a comprehensive investigation of different aspects of the Neolithic economy of the region.

Reduced finite-volume model for the fast numerical calculation of the fluid flow in the melt pool in laser beam welding

In this paper we propose a reduced two-dimensional finite-volume model for the fast calculation of the melt flow. This model was used to determine the influence of the welding speed, viscosity in the melt and vapour flow inside of the keyhole on the fluid flow field, the temperature distribution, and the resulting weld-pool geometry for laser beam welding of aluminium. The reduced computational time resulting from this approach allows the fast qualitative investigation of different aspects of the melt flow over a wide range of parameters. It was found that the effect of viscosity within the melt is more pronounced for lower welding speeds whereas the effect of friction at the keyhole walls is more pronounced for higher welding speeds. The weld-pool geometry mainly depends on the welding speed.

Magnetic hybrid nanoparticles modified with morin for the removal of Sc(III) from aqueous solutions

In this research magnetic hybrid nanomaterials modified with morin for sorption of scandium ions have been synthesized and investigated. In general, sorption of scandium increases with increasing pH. However, Fe@COO-morin nanocomposite with covalently bonded morin showed superiority over physically coated Fe3O4@morin nanoparticles. Several models have been applied for investigation of different aspects of sorption onto Fe@COO-morin. Results show, that it follows Langmuir model and pseudo-second order kinetics. Developed hybrid Fe@COO-morin nanoparticles were successfully applied for separation and preconcentration of scandium using magnetic solid phase extraction from spiked water samples. Optimized procedure includes selective sorption of scandium at pH 5, elution with 1 mol L−1 HNO3 and ICP OES determination. A preconcentration factor of 20 was achieved and sorbent provides the possibility of multiple use.

Layout optimization of heaving Wave Energy Converters linear arrays in front of a vertical wall

The present paper focuses on the determination of optimum layouts for linear arrays of heaving Wave Energy Converters (WECs) in front of a vertical wall. Optimum layouts maximize the annual averaged absorbed energy at a given marine site and satisfy spatial constraints. For achieving this goal, we developed an efficient optimization numerical framework, where a genetic algorithm solver is appropriately coupled with a frequency-domain hydrodynamic model, while, furthermore, a numerical wave model is utilized to determine the local wave climate conditions at the site of interest. The context is applied for an array of five semi-immersed, oblate spheroidal heaving WECs deployed at five near-shore sites of mild wave environments in the Aegean Sea, Greece. For each site, different optimization cases are solved, facilitating the investigation of different aspects of the examined problem. The largest annual energy absorption ability is observed for optimum layouts, characterized by the placement of the array close to the wall and the formation of clusters of closely-positioned WECs near the wall edges. Compared to arrays employed at sites in south-eastern Aegean, optimally-arranged arrays at central Aegean locations showed reduced energy absorption ability due to milder local wave conditions and/or the existence of quite limited water depths.

SCA7 Mouse Cerebellar Pathology Reveals Preferential Downregulation of Key Purkinje Cell-Identity Genes and Shared Disease Signature with SCA1 and SCA2.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease mainly characterized by motor incoordination because of progressive cerebellar degeneration. SCA7 is caused by polyglutamine expansion in ATXN7, a subunit of the transcriptional coactivator SAGA, which harbors histone modification activities. Polyglutamine expansions in specific proteins are also responsible for SCA1-SCA3, SCA6, and SCA17; however, the converging and diverging pathomechanisms remain poorly understood. Using a new SCA7 knock-in mouse, SCA7140Q/5Q, we analyzed gene expression in the cerebellum and assigned gene deregulation to specific cell types using published datasets. Gene deregulation affects all cerebellar cell types, although at variable degree, and correlates with alterations of SAGA-dependent epigenetic marks. Purkinje cells (PCs) are by far the most affected neurons and show reduced expression of 83 cell-type identity genes, including these critical for their spontaneous firing activity and synaptic functions. PC gene downregulation precedes morphologic alterations, pacemaker dysfunction, and motor incoordination. Strikingly, most PC genes downregulated in SCA7 have also decreased expression in SCA1 and SCA2 mice, revealing converging pathomechanisms and a common disease signature involving cGMP-PKG and phosphatidylinositol signaling pathways and LTD. Our study thus points out molecular targets for therapeutic development, which may prove beneficial for several SCAs. Furthermore, we show that SCA7140Q/5Q males and females exhibit the major disease features observed in patients, including cerebellar damage, cerebral atrophy, peripheral nerves pathology, and photoreceptor dystrophy, which account for progressive impairment of behavior, motor, and visual functions. SCA7140Q/5Q mice represent an accurate model for the investigation of different aspects of SCA7 pathogenesis.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Spinocerebellar ataxia 7 (SCA7) is one of the several forms of inherited SCAs characterized by cerebellar degeneration because of polyglutamine expansion in specific proteins. The ATXN7 involved in SCA7 is a subunit of SAGA transcriptional coactivator complex. To understand the pathomechanisms of SCA7, we determined the cell type-specific gene deregulation in SCA7 mouse cerebellum. We found that the Purkinje cells are the most affected cerebellar cell type and show downregulation of a large subset of neuronal identity genes, critical for their spontaneous firing and synaptic functions. Strikingly, the same Purkinje cell genes are downregulated in mouse models of two other SCAs. Thus, our work reveals a disease signature shared among several SCAs and uncovers potential molecular targets for their treatment.

Production of Recombinant Replication-defective Lentiviruses Bearing the SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 Attachment Spike Glycoprotein and Their Application in Receptor Tropism and Neutralisation Assays.

For enveloped viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, transmission relies on the binding of viral glycoproteins to cellular receptors. Conventionally, this process is recapitulated in the lab by infection of cells with isolated live virus. However, such studies can be restricted due to the availability of high quantities of replication-competent virus, biosafety precautions and associated trained staff. Here, we present a protocol based on pseudotyping to produce recombinant replication-defective lentiviruses bearing the SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 attachment Spike glycoprotein, allowing the investigation of viral entry in a lower-containment facility. Pseudoparticles are produced by cells transiently transfected with plasmids encoding retroviral RNA packaging signals and Gag-Pol proteins, for the reconstitution of lentiviral particles, and a plasmid coding for the viral attachment protein of interest. This approach allows the investigation of different aspects of viral entry, such as the identification of receptor tropism, the prediction of virus host range, and zoonotic transmission potential, as well as the characterisation of antibodies (sera or monoclonal antibodies) and pharmacological inhibitors that can block entry. Graphic abstract: SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 pseudoparticle generation and applications.

A simulation study of tenability for passengers in a railway tunnel with arson fire

Many arson fires occurred recently in railway systems in different countries. Arson fire occurring inside railway tunnel with a crowded train could give rise to serious consequences. The severity of tunnel fire increases with the length of tunnel, the fire size and the presence of obstructions inside the tunnel. Thus investigation of different aspects of tunnel fire is important in tunnel design, fire safety, and rescue. While real-scale experimental study of tunnel fire is in general too demanding in terms of resources and feasibility, simulation has an important role to play in such studies. The present study employs the Fire Dynamic Simulator (FDS version 6.4.0) to perform simulation of arson fire in front of a train in an underground tunnel. The arson fire occurs in an underground tunnel of length 500 m, which resembles some subway tunnels in Hong Kong. The scenario consists of a metro train stopping inside the tunnel when an arson fire is set in front of the train. In addition, the worst scenario in which the mechanical ventilation system inside the tunnel is not functioning, either due to malicious damage or power failure, is assumed. Fire sizes of 6 MW to 16 MW for durations of 600 s, which are based on the amount of fuel that is likely to be brought to the spot by arsonists, are adopted for simulation. In the simulation, temperature inside the train car and smoke layer height, temperature, visibility and concentration of carbon monoxide at important locations outside the train are investigated. Most importantly, analysis of tenability in such a tunnel fire scenario is performed. The simulation results show that inside the train and near to the train front temperature could be a threatening factor while outside the train visibility and carbon monoxide concentration are threatening factors. Thus no general rule can be formulated in regards to whether passengers should stay inside the train or escape into the tunnel under the scenario studied. Provided that the train compartment is not too crowded and that the passengers are not in great panic, it would be safer to move inside the train to locations further away from the train front than to escape from the train and move in the tunnel where the geometrical environment is not favorable. In addition, the effect of longitudinal ventilation is investigated by comparing the results of simulation for an unventilated tunnel and a tunnel under a ventilation velocity of 2 m/s. The results of the present study could be of importance in drafting plans of rescue and evacuation in tunnel fires.

Progressive Practices of Government Management in Preschool Teachers Professional Training in Western European Countries

Government management plays an important part in each branch of social activity and influence on its quality as well. It has a very essential importance in the sphere of professional education. The governmental initiations in teachers' professional education have a great influence not only on quality but also on standards and qualification and models of getting the profession as well. The purpose of this article is to show how the governmental management initiations in preschool teaching professional education make the profit for its quality, development, and improvement. The governmental management of preschool teachers' professional training, qualifications requirements to preschool teachers is important for the standardisation of qualification framework of preschool teachers and preschool teachers' professional education system functioning in different European countries are presented as progressive practices for effective preschool teachers' professional training. These practices of government management are analysed from the perceptivity of implementation into Ukrainian system of pedagogical education. The investigation of the progressive practices of preschool teachers' professional training in Western European countries allowed us to distinguish three directions of this experience implementation into Ukrainian higher pedagogical education system. The directions are divided into the levels such as improvement: governmental, institutional and procedural. The studding of progressive European experience also forms the basis for the development of The New Conception of preschool teachers' professional training in Ukraine, thus the authors emphasise the necessity of systemic comparative investigation of different aspects of this experience and point out the organisational and methods aspect require the comparative analysis, which will be the next step of the complex study.

Introducing a new approach for wind energy potential assessment under climate change at the wind turbine scale

An important aspect of planning the future expansion of wind energy is the consideration of changes in available wind resources due to climate change. In previous studies simulations of the future behavior of wind resources were derived from regional climate models at coarse spatial resolutions not suitable for wind energy potential assessment at the wind turbine scale. Thus, this study investigates the hypothesis that changes in future wind resources initiated by climate change will influence important aspects of small-scale wind resource assessment. A new approach is introduced that can be used to quantify the (1) spatial wind resource availability, (2) temporal wind resource availability, and (3) geographical complementarity under climate change at the wind turbine scale. The assessment of the future spatiotemporal variations in wind resources is based on an ensemble of near-surface (10 m) wind speed time series at a daily resolution for the period 1981–2099 from 35 different regional climate models. Using the highly resolved (horizontal resolution: 200 m × 200 m) Wind Speed-Wind Shear model, the near-surface wind speed time series were bias-corrected and extrapolated to a wind turbine hub height of 140 m at the sites of the current wind turbines in Germany. Bias correction was carried out by matching the quantile distributions from the regional climate models and the Wind Speed-Wind Shear model. Afterward, a power curve of a modern 3.45 MW wind turbine was applied to calculate daily capacity factors. The results indicate small long-term changes in the wind resource availability under the representative concentration pathways 4.5 and 8.5. It was found, that the influence of the interannual variability of the German wind resource exceeds the influence of climate change on the wind resource. The newly developed approach goes beyond previous wind resource assessments under climate change because it offers the opportunity for the spatially explicit investigation of different aspects of wind resource assessment which allows to develop more sophisticated wind energy expansion plans. Although the results are valid only for the study area, the proposed methodology is portable to any other region around the world.

A Review of the MSCA ITN ECOSTORE—Novel Complex Metal Hydrides for Efficient and Compact Storage of Renewable Energy as Hydrogen and Electricity

Hydrogen as an energy carrier is very versatile in energy storage applications. Developments in novel, sustainable technologies towards a CO2-free society are needed and the exploration of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) as well as solid-state hydrogen storage applications based on metal hydrides can provide solutions for such technologies. However, there are still many technical challenges for both hydrogen storage material and ASSBs related to designing low-cost materials with low-environmental impact. The current materials considered for all-solid-state batteries should have high conductivities for Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, while Al3+-based compounds are often marginalised due to the lack of suitable electrode and electrolyte materials. In hydrogen storage materials, the sluggish kinetic behaviour of solid-state hydride materials is one of the key constraints that limit their practical uses. Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the kinetic issues of hydride materials before discussing and considering them on the system level. This review summarizes the achievements of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) innovative training network (ITN) ECOSTORE, the aim of which was the investigation of different aspects of (complex) metal hydride materials. Advances in battery and hydrogen storage materials for the efficient and compact storage of renewable energy production are discussed.

Hall effect on Titania nanofluids thin film flow and radiative thermal behavior with different base fluids on an inclined rotating surface

The present study is about the investigation of different aspects of viscous and electrically conducting Titania nanofluids with different base fluids. A three dimensional geometry is assumed for the steady nanofluid flow over an inclined rotating disk by applying magnetic field. The time-independent partial differential equations are constructed from the demonstrated geometry for the continuity, momentum and energy balance. By using similarity variables transformation these equations are reduced to a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. A numerical technique is used to solve the reduced system of equations. State variables are depicted to investigate the effects of various parameters with their variation. The influence of different physical parameters, like magnetic parameter M, Hall parameter m, porosity parameter γ, radiation parameter Rd and thickness parameter δ are briefly discussed graphically. In addition, the Nusselt number and skin friction are discussed graphically. A comparison of the applied numerical approach with the homotopy analysis method is carried out in the tabular form. Tables show the reliability of our technique verses the homotopy analysis method. The convergence of the implemented technique is presented by graph for the number of iterations performed.

Interesting Facets of Surface, Interfacial, and Bulk Characteristics of Perfluorinated Ionomer Films.

Ion-containing perfluorinated polymers possess unique viscoelastic properties, excellent proton conductivity, and nanophase-segregated structure all arising from the clustering of hydrophilic sulfonic acid groups within a matrix of hydrophobic fluorocarbons. When these ionomers are confined to nanothin films, a broad swathe of structural organization imparting a rich variety of surface, interfacial, and bulk characteristics can be expected. However, our understanding of perfluorinated ionomer thin film behavior is still in a rudimentary stage, and much of the research focus to date has been on its hydration-related structure and properties pertinent to electrochemical applications. Thus, many hidden gems-their interesting surface and interfacial properties-have been overlooked. In this Invited Feature Article, which is a summary of the key contributions by the author's group, including several collaborative publications on ionomer thin films, we unravel many of these facets. In addition, the article attempts to integrate knowledge acquired from a variety of investigations of different aspects of the ionomer thin films to refine and develop a consistent picture of their structure and behavior. First, we focus on the self-assembly of ionomers and show that dispersion media and hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the substrate can result in partial or even no coverage of substrates, shedding light on the complexity of polymer-substrate, polymer-solvent, and polymer-polymer interactions, an insight completely obscured when the spin-coating method is adopted for film creation. We demonstrate that the same ionomer can be used to create a variety of surfaces ranging from superhydrophilic to highly hydrophobic by controlling the film thickness or through the choice of substrate material. The ultrathin, hydrophilic surfaces of self-assembled Nafion ionomer films exhibit wettability switching behavior which opens the door to creating stimuli-responsive smart surfaces. The thermoresponsive behavior of the films is discussed in the context of surface (wettability) and bulk (thermal expansion) characteristics as well as a newly discovered vibrational mode. The substrate- and film thickness-dependent thermal expansion coefficients reinforce the importance of interfacial interactions and confinement on the structure/properties of these films. They also open up the potential of tuning ionomer bulk properties via substrate chemistry. The discovery of a vibrational mode that becomes thermally activated at high temperature has provided new insights into the origins of the molecular motions responsible for the α-relaxation of the Nafion ionomer as well as the underlying reason for wettability switching. Our recent neutron reflectometry study of different ionomers varying in side-chain composition/length on a platinum substrate shows that the interfacial hydration level is correlated to the side-chain length, which opens up the possibility of the controlling the interfacial electrochemistry. Finally, a systematic analysis of factors affecting proton conduction is presented to elucidate the yet-unresolved origins of the suppressed conduction of nanothin ionomer films compared to that of the bulk membrane. By revealing these interesting yet poorly understood facets of ionomer thin films, the article aims to stimulate further scientific pursuit on this topic.

Development of Investigations in the Field of Corrosion and Stress-Corrosion Fracture of Metals and the Methods of Their Protection (A Survey)

We present a brief survey of the main investigations of different aspects of the problems of corrosion and stress corrosion fracture of metals carried out, first of all, at the Karpenko Physicomechanical Institute of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences. In particular, we describe the main regularities and mechanisms of corrosion cracking, corrosion fatigue, and fretting-corrosion of metals depending on their structure and conditions of interaction with corrosive media. We also present the results of testing of the inhibitor protection of metals and the development of metallic and nonmetallic protective coatings, etc.

A Multimodal Imaging Approach Enables In Vivo Assessment of Antifungal Treatment in a Mouse Model of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis.

Aspergillus fumigatus causes life-threatening lung infections in immunocompromised patients. Mouse models are extensively used in research to assess the in vivo efficacies of antifungals. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of noninvasive imaging techniques to evaluate experimental infections. However, single imaging modalities have limitations concerning the type of information they can provide. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging and bioluminescence imaging were combined to obtain longitudinal information on the extent of developing lesions and fungal load in a leukopenic mouse model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). This multimodal imaging approach was used to assess changes occurring within lungs of infected mice receiving voriconazole treatment starting at different time points after infection. The results showed that IPA development depends on the inoculum size used to infect animals and that disease can be successfully prevented or treated by initiating intervention during early stages of infection. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a reduction in fungal load is not necessarily associated with the disappearance of lesions on anatomical lung images, especially when antifungal treatment coincides with immune recovery. In conclusion, multimodal imaging allows an investigation of different aspects of disease progression or recovery by providing complementary information on dynamic processes, which are highly useful for assessing the efficacy of (novel) therapeutic compounds in a time- and labor-efficient manner.

Screening of Model Animals for Experimental Infection with Equine Cyathostomes

Abstract Various laboratory animals – mice (Mus musculus) of six strains, rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), rats (Rattus norvegicus), and Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were experimentally infected with larvae of small strongyles (Cyathostominae), obtained from horse faeces and cultured to the infective larval stage L3. The attempt to transfer cyathostome larvae was aimed at developing a model for the investigation of different aspects of the life cycle and biology of these nematodes in the laboratory. Some animals were immunized (hydrocortisone) for the duration of the study. The laboratory animals were orally infected with 2–10 thousand sheathed or ex-sheathed L3 larvae of mixed cyathostome species. All attempts to inoculate any animal failed; there was no larval development in the experimental rodents and it can be stated that none of the investigated animals may serve as a suitable model host for horse nematodes of the subfamily Cyathostominae.

Nanoreactors Technology in Green Organic Synthesis

Background: Nanoreactors technology represents a promising tool for efficient and selective organic synthesis typically under “green” and sustainable reaction conditions. These structures with generating a confined reaction environment to accommodate that both reactants and catalysts can change the reaction pathways and induce new activities and selectivities. Objective: The paper reviews literature examples in which nanoreactors were employed in various types of organic and metal catalyzed reactions including multicomponent reactions, palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions, olefin metathesis, aza-Cope rearrangement, allylic alcohol isomerization, cyclization reactions, ring opening reactions, halogenation reactions, hydrolysis reactions, hydroformylation reactions, cascade reactions, addition reactions, oxidation reactions and reduction reactions. The reactions' survey is accompanied with the explanation of structure and performance of nanoreactors that are applied there. Conclusion: The availability of comprehensive information about the role of nanoreactors technology in green organic synthesis and investigation of different aspects of them such as their structures, mechanisms and synthetic utility can assist researchers in designing the greener approaches in organic synthesis.

Introduction to special section: Fault damage zones

In this special section, we include investigations of different aspects of fault damage zones, including seismic interpretation, field observations, laboratory experiments, theoretical models, numerical simulations, and case studies of exploration and production of reservoirs. Fault damage zones are

Value-based decision making under uncertainty in hoarding and obsessive- compulsive disorders

Difficulties in decision making are a core impairment in a range of disease states. For instance, both obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) and hoarding disorder (HD) are associated with indecisiveness, inefficient planning, and enhanced uncertainty intolerance, even in contexts unrelated to their core symptomology. We examined decision-making patterns in 19 individuals with OCD, 19 individuals with HD, 19 individuals with comorbid OCD and HD, and 57 individuals from the general population, using a well-validated choice task grounded in behavioral economic theory. Our results suggest that difficulties in decision making in individuals with OCD (with or without comorbid HD) are linked to reduced fidelity of value-based decision making (i.e. increase in inconsistent choices). In contrast, we find that performance of individuals with HD on our laboratory task is largely intact. Overall, these results support our hypothesis that decision-making impairments in OCD and HD, which can appear quite similar clinically, have importantly different underpinnings. Systematic investigation of different aspects of decision making, under varying conditions, may shed new light on commonalities between and distinctions among clinical syndromes.