Preliminary Considerations Research Articles

Living with Dysphagia: A Survey Exploring the Experiences of Adults Living with Neuromuscular Disease and their Caregivers in the United Kingdom.

Dysphagia is common in adults living with neuromuscular disease (NMD). Increased life expectancy, secondary to improvements in standards of care, requires the recognition and treatment of dysphagia with an increased priority. Evidence to support the establishment of healthcare pathways is, however, lacking. The experiences of people living with NMD (pplwNMD) and their caregivers are valuable to guide targeted, value-based healthcare. To generate preliminary considerations for neuromuscular dysphagia care and future research in the United Kingdom, based on the experiences of those living with, or caring for, people with NMD. Two surveys (one for adults living with NMD and dysphagia, and a second for caregivers) were co-designed with an advisory group of people living with NMD. Surveys were electronically distributed to adults living with NMD and their caregivers between 18th May and 26th July 2020. Distribution was through UK disease registries, charity websites, newsletters, and social media. Adults living with NMD receive little information or education that they are likely to develop swallowing difficulties. Most respondents report wanting this information prior to developing these difficulties. Difficulties with swallowing food and medication are common in this group, and instrumental assessment is considered a helpful assessment tool. Both adults living with NMD and caregivers want earlier access to neuromuscular swallowing specialists and training in how best to manage their difficulties. Improvement is needed in the dysphagia healthcare pathway for adults living with NMD to help mitigate any profound physical and psychological consequences that may be caused by dysphagia. Education about swallowing difficulties and early referral to a neuromuscular swallowing specialist are important to pplwNMD and their caregivers. Further research is required to better understand the experiences of pplwNMD and their caregivers to inform the development of dysphagia healthcare pathways.

Prevalence and Predicting Factors of Pretreatment Dysphagia in Veterans With Head and Neck Cancer: A Pilot Study

Background: Dysphagia is a common sequela in individuals with a diagnosis of head and neck cancer. However, the prevalence and predicting factors for pretreatment dysphagia have not been well identified in the literature. A priori knowledge of the presence of a pretreatment dysphagia is advantageous and can have clinically significant implications for management of this patient population. The ability to predict pretreatment dysphagia in this population would allow more targeted interventions and potential improvements in clinical outcomes. Participants: This pilot study investigated the prevalence and predicting factors of pretreatment dysphagia in 67 veterans with head and neck cancer through the West Haven, CT, Veterans Affairs cancer database. Method: Data for this study were acquired via retrospective medical record review. Results: The prevalence of pretreatment dysphagia in our sample was found to be 49.3%. Age and pretreatment percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement were found to have a statistically significant relationship with pretreatment dysphagia. Stage of cancer diagnosis and the diagnosis of pretreatment dysphagia were found to have a statistically significant relationship with posttreatment dysphagia. Conclusions: Findings offer important preliminary data and clinical considerations about this issue and serve as a foundation for future research. There are a limited number of factors associated with pretreatment dysphagia, and clinicians should consider a conservative referral approach when considering the need for dysphagia assessment prior to the initiation of oncologic treatment.

Potential Impact of Using ChatGPT-3.5 in the Theoretical and Practical Multi-Level Approach to Open-Source Remote Sensing Archaeology, Preliminary Considerations

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of using an AI model, specifically ChatGPT-3.5, in remote sensing (RS) applied to archaeological research. It assessed the model’s abilities in several aspects, in accordance with a multi-level analysis of its usefulness: providing answers to both general and specific questions related to archaeological research; identifying and referencing the sources of information it uses; recommending appropriate tools based on the user’s desired outcome; assisting users in performing basic functions and processes in RS for archaeology (RSA); assisting users in carrying out complex processes for advanced RSA; and integrating with the tools and libraries commonly used in RSA. ChatGPT-3.5 was selected due to its availability as a free resource. The research also aimed to analyse the user’s prior skills, competencies, and language proficiency required to effectively utilise the model for achieving their research goals. Additionally, the study involved generating JavaScript code for interacting with the free Google Earth Engine tool as part of its research objectives. Use of these free tools, it was possible to demonstrate the impact that ChatGPT-3.5 can have when embedded in an archaeological RS flowchart on different levels. In particular, it was shown to be useful both for the theoretical part and for the generation of simple and complex processes and elaborations.

[Management of polypharmacy in older people with multimorbidity].

If the individual diagnoses of older people with multimorbidity are treated according to guidelines and by different specialists, confusing medication plans are sometimes the consequence. Therefore, aregular and structured drug evaluation is essential. As the life goals of patients can be very different, especially in older age, certain preliminary considerations should be made when starting, prescribing or discontinuing medication, taking into account the individual situation, including geriatric aspects. Updated so-called positive and negative lists provide assistance as to which medications are suitable or unsuitable for older people. Discontinuing certain medications when the life expectancy is reduced certainly makes sense but undertreatment of symptoms that cause distress to people, such as pain, should definitely be avoided.

Preliminary Theoretical Considerations on the Stiffness Characteristics of a Tensegrity Joint for the Use in Dynamic Orthoses

Early motion therapy plays an important role for effective long-term healing of joint injuries. In many cases, conventional dynamic orthoses fail to address the intricate movement possibilities of the underlying joints, limited by their simplistic joint representations, often represented by revolute joints, enabling rotations by only one axis. In this paper, a two-dimensional compliant tensegrity joint for use in biomedical applications is investigated. It consists of two compressed members and five compliant tensioned members. Relative movement possibilities are realized by the intrinsic compliance of the structure. In the development of these systems, the first step is the determination of the static stable equilibrium. This analysis is conducted in this paper by considering the potential energy approach or by using the geometric nonlinear finite element method. The mechanical behavior of the structure is assessed with a specific emphasis on its mechanical compliance. The primary objective of this study is the investigation of the influence of structural parameters on the overall stiffness and movability of the structure. The results underscore the significant effect of member parameters on the stiffness and movability of the compliant tensegrity joint, particularly under varying load magnitudes. These findings provide insights for optimizing the joint’s performance, contributing to its potential application in advanced orthotic and exoskeleton devices.

Being a Competent Doctoral Student: A Reflection

Building a successful PhD program requires a sustained research environment. The successful completion of a PhD thesis depends on a working supervisor-student relationship built on respect, responsibility, and involvement. Supervisors who are also working researchers should get the training they need to improve their supervising abilities. They act as role models in academic life both scientifically and morally. The employment of a second supervisor in addition to the primary one is strongly advised in order to improve the effectiveness of tracking student development and resolve interpersonal problems. Regulations from the university should outline the obligations of the research supervisor. In medical education, small-group instruction and learning have achieved an admirable position and gained popularity as a way to support research students in their studies and foster deep learning. The primary qualities include active student participation throughout the whole learning cycle and a clearly defined task orientation with attainable specific goals and objectives within a set time frame. Preliminary considerations at the departmental and institutional levels, including educational strategies, group composition, physical environment, existing resources, diagnosis of the research needs, formulation of the objectives, and appropriate teaching learning outline, are crucial to the development of an ideal small group teaching and learning session. Small group instruction at medical schools boosts student motivation, collaborative abilities, knowledge and skill retention, idea transfer to novel problems, and self-directed learning. Investigating the problems enables the learner to put their higher-order thinking and skills to the test. It supports adult learning, taking ownership of one's own development, and fostering self-motivation. This research paper aims to study the scholar’s perception of effectiveness of teaching and learning process during the first and second years of doctoral study.

Inflation sequence tradeoffs and laboratory demonstration of a prototype variable-altitude venus aerobot

Balloon-based exploratory platforms, or aerobots, are a budding planetary exploration technology for Venus to collect scientific data in-situ while keeping a safe distance from the highly inhospitable surface of Earth’s “evil twin”. Such a mission is expected to deploy and inflate the aerobot during the system’s initial descent through the Venusian atmosphere, rather than launched from the surface. The analysis of the entry, descent and float (EDF) sequence of the aerobot is accordingly a delicate and fundamental part of the aerobot design, and generally where the envelope undergoes the largest loads. The inflation phase in particular plays an essential role, especially for variable-altitude aerobots that can have multiple-envelopes with different inflation requirements. This paper addresses a collection of preliminary considerations about the inflation phases of a Venus aerobot – starting from the end of deployment to completion of reaching an equilibrium altitude – where the nominal mission flight profile would then begin. We include two different inflation sequences, highlighting issues and threats, utilizing a simulation of the inflation dynamics of the aerobot conducted in MATLAB. The paper also presents results from a set of rapid inflation experiments, conducted on a subscale prototype of the aerobot, aimed at an initial assessment of feasibility and response of the materials involved.

Addressing global challenges in geographical education: perspectives from the CGE Springer book series

A key responsibility of academic scholarship is to further develop the field under investigation and to critically evaluate how it is responding to challenges from both inside and outside of the field of enquiry. This article offers an overview of whether the scholarship published in geography education (GE) from the perspective of the Commission for Geography Education (CGE) Springer book series is sufficiently engaging with contemporary global challenges and education discourses. Guided by the 2022 IGU-CGE Rennes Conference’s three axes: curriculum renewal, pedagogy and teacher training, the article discusses the findings of a meta-analysis of the six books published in the CGE Springer series in the past five years (2017 to 2021).The thematic analysis shows that GE is engaging with global realities of environment and sustainability, climate change, globalisation and the importance of powerful knowledge for understanding and engaging with complex, often controversial issues. But there are also gaps and absences in terms of who is producing knowledge and from where knowledge is being generated. We contend that the book series is well placed to support the community in addressing global concerns and the related transformative pedagogies needed to enact them. However, we also suggest that the publications at this point in time have yet to fully grasp the specifics needed for the challenges that lie ahead. Some preliminary considerations for advancing the field through future publications are offered. These may be useful to GE researchers and scholars in different regions of the world.

Conceptual risk assessment of mosquito population modification gene-drive systems to control malaria transmission: preliminary hazards list workshops.

The field-testing and eventual adoption of genetically-engineered mosquitoes (GEMs) to control vector-borne pathogen transmission will require them meeting safety criteria specified by regulatory authorities in regions where the technology is being considered for use and other locales that might be impacted. Preliminary risk considerations by researchers and developers may be useful for planning the baseline data collection and field research used to address the anticipated safety concerns. Part of this process is to identify potential hazards (defined as the inherent ability of an entity to cause harm) and their harms, and then chart the pathways to harm and evaluate their probability as part of a risk assessment. The University of California Malaria Initiative (UCMI) participated in a series of workshops held to identify potential hazards specific to mosquito population modification strains carrying gene-drive systems coupled to anti-parasite effector genes and their use in a hypothetical island field trial. The hazards identified were placed within the broader context of previous efforts discussed in the scientific literature. Five risk areas were considered i) pathogens, infections and diseases, and the impacts of GEMs on human and animal health, ii) invasiveness and persistence of GEMs, and interactions of GEMs with target organisms, iii) interactions of GEMs with non-target organisms including horizontal gene transfer, iv) impacts of techniques used for the management of GEMs and v) evolutionary and stability considerations. A preliminary hazards list (PHL) was developed and is made available here. This PHL is useful for internal project risk evaluation and is available to regulators at prospective field sites. UCMI project scientists affirm that the subsequent processes associated with the comprehensive risk assessment for the application of this technology should be driven by the stakeholders at the proposed field site and areas that could be affected by this intervention strategy.

Preliminary zooarchaeological analysis of the Phoenice and Butrint excavations (2021 campaign)

The recent archaeological excavation of the Butrint and Phoenice sites in south Albania allows to restart the zooarchaeological analysis. In these samples, the faunal remains have a high level of identification, and their taphonomic conditions show many cut marks. This preliminary zooarchaeological analysis of the Chaonia region show two very similar economies, where the breeding of the main domestic species is followed by a reasonable hunting activity. These preliminary considerations could be useful to environmental study of Epirote area, but also to improve the recovery protocol of these remains together with collaboration of the archaeologists.

Caspian Experience Boosts Performance in Turkey’s Onshore UGS Project

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 207011, “Healthy Caspian Experience Helps Boost Drilling Performance in Turkey’s Onshore UGS Project,” by Elchin Akbarli and Rufat Mammadbayli, SPE, SOCAR AQS. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ In the complete paper, the authors describe an operator’s underground gas storage (UGS) project. The intent of the paper is to demonstrate the execution methodology and technologies that the company used to deliver the work on time and under budget. The authors outline planning, design, and drilling and completion strategies used during the execution phase. The authors add that the company’s experience in Caspian operations was of great benefit to the project. Introduction A plan was developed to expand a UGS facility in a salt cavern field. The main challenge of the project was the requirement to complete all wells within a short time frame with a limited budget while keeping the project economically feasible for the company without compromising safety and environmental protection. Geological risks and uncertainties required additional preliminary considerations, leading to a focus on the best methods available for the drilling and completion of 40 planned wells. A comprehensive cost analysis was performed to evaluate the approach. The operations were divided into three stages: tophole drilling, main drilling, and completion. Different types of rigs, with different capabilities depending upon the range of the work, were assigned for each phase. The plan involved three small truck-mounted mobile rigs to begin tophole drilling and run 30-in. conductor casings to isolate unconsolidated formations and freshwater zones. Then, six main rigs would be mobilized to perform the main stages of drilling; three completion rigs would finalize the project. The company’s Caspian experience applied to several technical aspects of the project, from optimization of drilling activities to planning and execution. The project presented many technical challenges, including geological hazards, deviation control, and strict requirements of well integrity for a long period of time. Rig Specifications for Drilling Stages A major decision point in the planning phase was to select different types of rigs to implement various drilling operations in a staged manner. Initially, 125-ton-capacity truck-mounted rigs began to drill 36-in. tophole sections and run 30-in. casings; then, the task was passed to main drilling rigs with installed 30-in. conductor casing. Top holes were drilled with three low-cost, low-capacity rigs to combat the high potential of lost-circulation problems that could be experienced with high-cost main drilling rigs. In the second stage, main drilling rigs with 225-ton and 300-ton capacity were involved for the next 26- and 17½-in. sections. In the third stage, low-capacity rigs were moved to the well locations to complete wells, either running the last leaching string of 10- and 7-in. casings or underreaming 12-in. to 17½-in. sections before running leaching strings.

Studies on EU-DEMO 3D coils requirements and conceptual design for error field correction and plasma control

This work presents the initial studies on the requirements for the design of 3D coils on EU-DEMO. The use of 3D coils in present machines includes two main purposes: the first one is the Error Field Correction (EFC). The EFC aims at minimizing the intrinsic non-axisymmetric fields in the machine. Fulfilling the requirements is evaluated with the minimization of residual error fields, both in vacuum and with plasma response. The second purpose relates to the application of 3D fields to control the plasma. The first of these control functions includes the manipulation of the locked neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) phase, and their positioning in front of the electron cyclotron antennae, for optimum stabilization. A second function is the application of 3D perturbation of the plasma edge to suppress ELMs. As the fastest required time constant of the applied 3D fields is comparable or longer with respect to that of the vacuum vessel, ex-vessel coils can be considered. Another constraint considered is that the 3D fields applied do not generate 3D power exhaust effects, such as divertor lobes, that jeopardize the protection of the machine divertor/wall. This constriant is met in the finding of this work, in the case considered of the ELMs suppression. The aim of this study is to assess if one set of coils could be designed that fulfills all these purposes/functions. The results show that, by using ITER tolerances for the TF, CS and PF coils, all these functions on EFC (using the overlap criterion assumption, which includes the plasma response), NTM phase control and ELMs suppression can be met with the proposed design of one row of ex vessel coils. An additional activity has started to study if the non-resonant perturbations generated by this set of coils could lead to detrimental effects via neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) torque. Preliminary considerations on the coil technology, are also presented, with no showstopper found in this preliminary phase.

Experimental investigation on alternate load path mechanisms in double-span beams with unsymmetrical span lengths and reinforcement ratios

In the design and assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) structures against progressive collapse via single column removal scenarios, also known as the “alternate load path (ALP) method”, the development of secondary mechanisms in double-span beams, i.e. compressive arch action (CAA) and catenary action (CA), has been thoroughly investigated and identified in many previous studies. The majority of the experimental tests were conducted on symmetrical double-span beams (identical span length and steel reinforcement ratio for both beams). However, variations in span length and reinforcement details of beams adjacent to one another are common in RC buildings due to architectural requirements. Hence, an experimental study with a total of 6 tests was conducted to investigate the development of ALP mechanisms (CAA and CA) in double-span RC frames with unsymmetrical 1) span length and/or 2) longitudinal reinforcement ratio. The 6 tests included 3 symmetrically-designed specimens that served as the baseline to facilitate comparison and quantification of the ALP development for the other 3 unsymmetrical continuous beams. The behaviour and development of ALP mechanisms in all the 6 specimens were analysed at structural level including general observations and measurements of the external forces, displacements, and strains. Last but not least, a simplified method that was initially developed based on symmetrical test data was employed to validate unsymmetrical test results, with the aim to provide a robust and simple tool for preliminary design considerations of the ALP mechanisms.

Neurofeedback as neuroempowerment technique for affective regulation and interoceptive awareness in adolescence: preliminary considerations applied to a psychogenic pseudosyncope case.

Revisions of classical models of acute stress response spectrum and defence cascade process might represent a valuable background for the interpretation of the link between affective reactions, traumatic experiences, and Psychogenic pseudosyncope (PPS) events in childhood and across the lifespan. Indeed, associations between subjective emotional life, early exposure to distressing and/or traumatic events, and PPS have fuelled a debate on potential causes of occurrence and recurrence of such a peculiar clinical manifestation. At the same time, such background suggests that empowering stress management and affective regulation skills could be the target for neurorehabilitation interventions aiming at reducing the severity of symptomatology and/or improving awareness and management of pseudosyncopal spells. Specifically, neuro/biofeedback-based empowerment of self-regulation skills, associated to an increased interoceptive increased awareness, could be a promising complement to classical psychological therapies. Starting from the presentation of a paediatric PPS clinical case, the present work discusses the relevance of assessing affective appraisal and autonomic reactivity in individuals suffering from PPS episodes and introduces a novel potential neuroempowerment protocol aimed at improving self-regulation and stress management skills in adolescence based on a combined neurofeedback and embodied-awareness intervention. By capitalizing available evidence of the effects of neuromodulation and embodied practices on self-awareness/regulation across the life-span, the proposed protocol is based on neurofeedback-supported affective management training, as well as both contemplative and informal awareness exercises devised to be appealing and challenging even for younger patients.

Testing the volcanic material burying Pompeii as pozzolanic component for compatible conservation mortars

The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential use of ashes and lapilli that buried Pompeii as pozzolanic material for the formulation of conservation mortars. XRD analyses proved that the mineralogical composition of these volcanic products is consistent with the original pozzolanic mortars preserved at the archaeological site. A first set of pozzolanic mortars were prepared by using silica sand as aggregate. After curing the lapilli-based mortars, the measured compressive and flexural strengths proved to be higher than those of the control samples made of commercial pozzolan. A second set of samples, prepared by replacing silica sand with similar size coarse ash and lapilli, proved that volcanic aggregates further enhanced the mechanical properties by the formation of interfacial transition zones. The result of this research demonstrates that the volcanic material burying the archaeological site of Pompeii could be used as raw material in the formulation of compatible conservation mortars. As volcanic pozzolan is increasingly investigated as potential Supplementary Cementitious Material (SCM) for the production of sustainable concretes, preliminary considerations about the impact of the present work to this field of research are also provided.

Radiation protection challenges for the Large Hadron Collider upgrade.

In the context of the so-called Long Shutdown 3 (2026-2028), the Large Hadron Collider will be upgraded to the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider, allowing for approximately five more instantaneous collisions. The upgrade, maintenance and decommissioning of equipment will be mainly performed in the experimental insertions of Points 1 and 5, requiring to perform multiple interventions in high-residual radiation environment. This poses complex radiological challenges that the CERN Radiation Protection group is called to address. Radiation protection studies are performed to plan and optimise (ALARA) these future interventions using the advanced Monte Carlo techniques and tools such as FLUKA, ActiWiz, SESAME and the FCC method. This paper aims to provide an overview of the studies conducted to estimate the residual radiation field in the experimental insertions, the activation levels in terms of multiple of the Swiss clearance limits/specific activity and to provide preliminary considerations on the upgrade/decommissioning of key equipment.

The role of substance use treatment in reducing stigma after release from incarceration: A qualitative analysis

BackgroundPeople with substance use disorders (SUD) who have been involved in the legal system often experience stigma upon reentry into the community after incarceration. Although substance use treatment can sometimes be a source of stigma, it may also reduce stigma by facilitating connections with providers, reducing distress, or helping people feel more integrated in their community. However, research has rarely examined the potential for treatment to reduce stigma.MethodsThis study examined stigma experiences and the degree to which substance use treatment reduced stigma among 24 people with SUDs who were receiving care in an outpatient treatment facility after release from incarceration. Qualitative interviews were conducted and analyzed using a content analysis approach.ResultsParticipants reported negative self-judgements as well as perceiving negative judgments from the community upon reentry. With regard to stigma reduction, themes emerged around substance use treatment repairing strained family relationships and reducing participants’ self-stigma. Aspects of treatment that reportedly reduced stigma included the treatment facility having a nonjudgmental atmosphere, patients trusting the staff, and working with peer navigators who had lived experience of SUD and incarceration.ConclusionsResults from this study suggest that substance use treatment has the potential to decrease the negative impacts of stigma upon release from incarceration, which continues to be a major barrier. Though more research on stigma reduction is needed, we suggest some preliminary considerations for treatment programs and providers.

The sensus fidei and Synodality: Theological Epistemology and the munus propheticum

The sensus fidei and Synodality: Theological Epistemology and the munus propheticum Bernhard Blankenhorn O.P. IN THE YEARS before and after the Second Vatican Council, Yves Congar famously called for a renewed ecclesiology that integrated both Christological and pneumatological approaches to the Church. The French Dominican sought a synthetic vision in which the themes of the Church’s apostolicity and the hierarchical powers transmitted by Christ would be framed within a rich understanding of the Church as a communion of grace, in which the Church’s perennity would not exclude her historicity or the Spirit’s work today.1 One can approach the overall program of advancing synodality as a way better to accentuate the pneumatological element of ecclesial life. Congar’s vast corpus of ecclesiological writings remains a treasure for the Church today, partly because of his astounding grasp of the theological tradition, and partly because his systematics remained animated by the properly theological task of faith seeking understanding. In this way, from his early writings on the theology of the laity forward, Congar exemplified a way of thinking about synodality and its pneumatological potential: to draw widely from the Church’s long [End Page 311] tradition, to acknowledge the historicity of the Church’s structures while refusing to give strictly sociological or political categories the last word, and to avoid one-sided theological solutions (such as a return to early modern Christo-monist ecclesiologies that reduce the laity to passive listeners of a teaching Church, or Pneuma-monist approaches that evacuate the apostolic tradition or ecclesial hierarchy altogether). The present article adopts a Congarian approach to believers’ supernatural sense of the faith (sensus fidei), specifically, by a modest proposal as to how we can best articulate the way in which this supernatural mode of cognition comes about. This article proposes the outline of a subchapter of theological epistemology in view of today’s ecclesial and theological debate on the true meaning of synodality. The theological payoff for seeking such an epistemology is manifold. Much confusion reigns around the question of how exactly the sensus fidei can be identified. Should we especially consult practicing Catholics, such as the laity most engaged in parochial life and evangelization, or faithful members of religious orders? What about fallen-away or barely practicing Catholics? What are we to make of voices on the margins, among so-called progressives or traditionalists? Do charismatic gifts inform the sensus fidei? And more broadly, how are we to interpret the sensus fidei in light of Scripture, Tradition, and magisterial teaching? The questions surrounding the role of the sensus fidei and its noetic character touch on numerous core ecclesiological issues. I. Preliminary Considerations The link between the sensus fidei and synodality has emerged with some frequency in recent magisterial documents and theological literature. Pope Francis’s apostolic constitution on the Synod of Bishops, Episcopalis Communio (2018) makes this connection explicit, and we find it several times in the International Theological Commission’s document Synodality in [End Page 312] the Life and Mission of the Church (2018).2 The same commission’s other recent text, Sensus fidei in the Life of the Church (2014) offers the most extensive teaching to date on the sensus fidei by a body of the Roman curia.3 Several recent collections of theological essays and monographs also take up this link, directly or indirectly.4 Still, much work remains to be done on the sensus fidei in general, and on its noetic aspects in particular.5 An epistemological lacuna remains in the theology of the sensus fidei, though part of its foundation has been laid. The work of John Henry Newman on the need to consult the lay faithful and Yves Congar’s preconciliar writings on the place of the laity in the Church helped to inspire the fathers of Vatican II to overcome the premodern dichotomy between the teaching and the listening Church.6 Newman’s theology on this question arose from his historical studies of the Arian crisis, while his [End Page 313] conviction about the importance of consulting the laity is linked to his theology of faith as a work of grace in man’s conscience and the...

Digitalisierung christlicher Verkündigungsformate während der Covid19-Pandemie: Empirische Befunde und theoretische Systematisierungen aus religionswissenschaftlicher Perspektive

ZusammenfassungMit den Kontaktbeschränkungen zu Beginn der Covid19-Pandemie mussten auch religiöse Institutionen geradezu über Nacht ihre bisherigen Angebote neu denken. Gerade für Gottesdienste sind dabei häufig digitale Alternativen entwickelt worden. Der Aufsatz beleuchtet dieses emergierende Feld der Digitalisierung christlicher Verkündigungsformate und die Anschlussstellen zu bestehender religionswissenschaftlicher Forschung zu Religion und digitalen Medien. Dafür wird zunächst ein empirisch orientierter Überblick über die Digitalisierungsbemühungen der christlichen Kirchen im deutschsprachigen Raum unter Corona-Bedingungen gegeben, insbesondere unter Rückgriff auf die bisher vorliegenden statistischen Erhebungen. Auf der Grundlage qualitativer Interviews wird dann der Blick auf die Rezipient*innenperspektive auf digitale Gottesdienste gerichtet. Diese empirischen Befunde werden schließlich in Verbindung gesetzt zu bestehenden systematischen Querschnittsthemen der Forschung zu Religion und Medien, insbesondere zu den Konsequenzen digitalisierter religiöser Kommunikation für Formen religiöser Vergemeinschaftung, Raum und Ritual sowie die Selbstermächtigung religiöser Lai*innen und den Wandel religiöser Autorität. Der Aufsatz will damit auf empirischer Grundlage eine Einordnung der gegenwärtigen, Corona-induzierten Entwicklungen in den bestehenden Forschungsstand anbieten und Anschlussüberlegungen aufzeigen.

Investigation of the Geological Structure of the Tramutola Area (Agri Valley): Inferences for the Presence of Geofluids at Shallow Crustal Levels

The Tramutola area in the High Agri Valley represents a key for the Southern Apennines fold and thrust belt. There, natural oil seeps from small carbonate reservoirs located at shallow depths that have been historically known since the 19th century, and hypothermal water was discovered during hydrocarbon exploration. From a geological point of view, the study area, extending for about 11 km2, is characterized with the presence of a complete section of the tectonic units of the southern Apennines and a complex structural framework that has not yet been fully clarified. In this work, geological analysis is based on new lithological and structural data, acquired during a detailed geological survey, compared with well logs obtained during exploration for hydrocarbons. Furthermore, a new geophysical investigation down to a 1 km depth (deep electrical resistivity tomography) allowed inference of buried structural and geological characteristics of the studied area. Through combining surface and subsurface data, some preliminary considerations about the structural setting and geofluid presence down to a 1 km depth have been made. Furthermore, geological–structural cross-sections have been constructed with the purpose of depicting the geometries of structures affecting the Apennine nappe pile in the subsurface, possibly favoring early uprising of hydrocarbons as well as circulation of hypothermal fluids and associated gases rising from deeper reservoirs.