Eight atmospheric carbon dioxide samples (as calcium carbonate—CaCO3—precipitates) from Lindesnes site (58ºN, 7ºE), belonging to 1963 and 1980 (four samples from each year) and stored at the National Laboratory for Age Determination (NTNU), have been reevaluated through radiocarbon (14C) analysis. Previous 14C results indicated the presence of a contaminant, which was not removed through different chemical cleansing procedures (e.g., hydrochloric acid—HCl and/or hydrogen peroxide—H2O2). Here, we present a follow up investigation using 14C step-combustion and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Results from 14C data indicate unsuccessful removal of the contaminant, while further FTIR analysis displayed the presence of moisture. This finding alludes to the possibility that the contaminant is of ambient air-CO2 deeply embedded in CaCO3 powders (within clogged CaCO3 pores and/or bonded to the lattice). Samples were found exposed to air-CO2 and humidity. These conditions may have lasted for years, possibly even decades, leading to the 14C offsets detected here.

The sustainable funding of tertiary education is a subject of significant policy debate worldwide. In South Africa, the need to balance equitable access within a constrained fiscal environment has been a complex challenge. A legacy of racially segregated educational opportunities, together with student activism and protests, has shaped the political economy surrounding tertiary education funding. Policymakers continue to be faced with the challenge of funding students whose household income is too high to meet state financial aid eligibility, yet who struggle to afford tuition and accommodation expenses. In this context, exploring a policy instrument that differentiates students based on multidimensional socioeconomic need is critical. We motivate for a differentiated policy instrument that considers economic uncertainty of households as a dimension of socioeconomic need. A purpose of our paper is therefore to illustrate that income mobility can contribute to household vulnerability, and therefore to funding need. Household income mobility is estimated using a multivariate probit model that explicitly accounts for endogeneity of initial conditions, unobserved heterogeneity, and non-random panel attrition. We operationalise this model as a relevant empirical tool for analysing and understanding the implementation, expansion, and targeting of social policy more generally.

Our health system implemented a novel clinical decision-support system to reduce unnecessary duplicate nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) orders. In an 8-month period, the rate of duplicate MRSA PCR orders within 7 days declined from 4.7% (370 of 7,861) to 1.2% (120 of 9,833).

While simultaneous radiocarbon and δ13C measurements have been available for organic materials (by accelerator mass spectrometry, AMS, and isotope ratio mass spectrometry, IRMS, respectively), this has not been possible for carbonates until now. Using an existing interface for gas ion source AMS measurements, we developed a prototype for a universal gas interface that allows simultaneous measurement of both carbon isotope ratios from potentially any source of CO2. First results obtained from reference materials (IAEA-C6, OxaII, PhA, IAEA-C1, IAEA-C2, ETH-4) show that for both organic as well as carbonate samples, the precision of radiocarbon measurements in the coupled mode is comparable to routine standalone AMS measurements. For IRMS δ13C measurements, the performance for different materials shows more variation with precisions ranging from 0.07‰ to 0.47‰. However, both organic materials and carbonates can achieve precisions as good as 0.13‰. Once fully automated, the method shows potential for filling the gap of simultaneous carbon isotope measurements for non-organic materials.

El estudio de la Misión Salesiana (siglos diecinueve y veinte) contribuye al conocimiento del impacto que las misiones religiosas tuvieron en América. Los registros históricos sugieren un cambio en la dieta, hacinamiento y alta frecuencia de enfermedades pulmonares infecciosas, como la tuberculosis. Muchos problemas de salud surgen de desequilibrios dietarios. La insuficiencia nutricional crónica hace que los individuos sean más susceptibles a las enfermedades infecciosas, y esto a su vez reduce la disponibilidad de nutrientes para la persona, creando una retroalimentación positiva. El objetivo de este trabajo es explorar el impacto que tuvo el contacto continuo en Patagonia Austral —específicamente en el caso de la Misión Salesiana— sobre la población originaria, a partir del análisis de marcadores metabólico-nutricionales e infecciosos y teniendo en cuenta el estado nutricional y estilo de vida de los individuos que allí habitaron. Para evaluar el cambio se compararon los resultados de los individuos de la misión con información previamente publicada y nuevas revelaciones de individuos del norte de la Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. Por un lado, se observó una elevada prevalencia de signos patológicos tales como hiperostosis porótica, cribra orbitalia, hipoplasia del esmalte y caries; por otro, fuentes documentales y estudios de isótopos estables indican un cambio en la dieta que conlleva una reducción en la variedad de alimentos. Los cambios producidos en el estilo de vida y la alta frecuencia de enfermedades infecciosas pudieron actuar sinérgicamente, influyendo en la drástica reducción del número de personas que habitaba dentro de la misión.

This article argues that the Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) literature does not support the claim, made most notably by Eleonore Stump, that suffering tends to promote psychic integration that allows for interpersonal closeness with God (or others). Two strains of argument support this conclusion. First, there are problems internal to PTG research, identified by psychologists and bioethicists in the field, that call the strength and reliability of the findings into question. Second, even if successful in what it purports to do, the PTG literature does not support the conclusions that Stump draws from it. Finally, given that we live in a culture that both prizes and moralizes positivity, often at the expense of sufferers, applying this research in prescriptive and normative ways inappropriately circumscribes the post-traumatic journeys of trauma survivors. Before turning to these arguments, I begin by briefly describing the long-term suffering that trauma can inflict in the forms of post-traumatic stress disorder and other physical and mental health effects. This section illustrates the challenge that trauma poses for the projects of theodicy and defence and provides the backdrop against which the PTG literature must be read.

While existing scholarship recognizes the centrality of social organizations for party-building efforts, how network structures condition party-building remains underexamined. This article argues that a core property of the network environments within which proto-parties emerge—structural resilience—shapes opportunities for proto-parties’ expansion and consolidation. More resilient network structures—those with multiple pathways available for expansion—decrease proto-parties’ vulnerability to structural threats and allow them to circumvent competition. To evaluate this theory, I examine the organizational networks of three comparable indigenous party-building efforts in Bolivia. Using original network data and a mixed-methods approach, I demonstrate that MAS-IPSP succeeded in establishing itself as the indigenous party because of the structural resilience of the network environment within which it originated. By contrast, its counterparts failed when targeted network attacks undermined their access to organizational spaces critical to their expansion strategies. The findings reveal often-overlooked variation in the relationship between social organizations and political parties.

We define $\Psi $-autoreducible sets given an autoreduction procedure $\Psi $. Then, we show that for any $\Psi $, a measurable class of $\Psi $-autoreducible sets has measure zero. Using this, we show that classes of cototal, uniformly introenumerable, introenumerable, and hyper-cototal enumeration degrees all have measure zero.

By analyzing the arithmetical complexity of the classes of cototal sets and cototal enumeration degrees, we show that weakly 2-random sets cannot be cototal and weakly 3-random sets cannot be of cototal enumeration degree. Then, we see that this result is optimal by showing that there exists a 1-random cototal set and a 2-random set of cototal enumeration degree. For uniformly introenumerable degrees and introenumerable degrees, we utilize $\Psi $-autoreducibility again to show the optimal result that no weakly 3-random sets can have introenumerable enumeration degree. We also show that no 1-random set can be introenumerable.

Markus Barth (1915–1994) is best-known for his pioneering work in Jewish-Christian dialogue, and his Anchor Bible commentaries. Convinced that Ephesians 2:14–16 is the core of Paul's gospel, Barth concluded that the ‘one new man’ in Christ not only necessitates an indissoluble solidarity between Christians and Jews, but entails that all enmities have been negated by Christ's reconciliatory work. Ironically, this conviction provoked in him an antagonism towards many of his Jewish interlocutors. Their refusal to ‘forget Auschwitz’ caused Barth to accuse them of not being sufficiently conciliatory, and in turn led him, with sadly supersessionistic logic, to eschew reconciliation with them, because he did not think they took reconciliation seriously enough.

To obtain scientific data regarding the chronology of archaeological structures, lime mortar radiocarbon dating has often demonstrated to be a decisive method. However, knowing the specific chemical-mineralogical characteristics of mortars can help when preparing samples or interpreting results. Among other issues, the dating of magnesian mortars can be particularly difficult because of the combined slaking, setting and hardening reactions of the calcium and magnesium phases, typical of these mortars. The formation of numerous mineralogical phases depending on reaction conditions adds further complexity to the dating method, which deserves to be studied with further detail. During the project “Mortar technology and construction history at Müstair Monastery” the first experiments in this regard had yielded encouraging results. An additional 4 samples from buildings with controversial chronology, thought to belong approximately to the 9th, 12th, and 15th centuries, were selected, prepared and radiocarbon dated. The data obtained were discussed by integrating preliminary petrographic characterization analyses of the mortars with archaeological information and excavation records. The results opened up new questions about the chronology of the Monastery, clarified the dating of some buildings and provided a better understanding of the potential and limitations of dating dolomitic mortars coming from archaeological context.

The demand for flexible grasping of various objects by robotic hands in the industry is rapidly growing. To address this, we propose a novel variable stiffness gripper (VSG). The VSG design is based on a parallel-guided beam structure inserted by a slider from one end, allowing stiffness variation by changing the length of the parallel beams participating in the system. This design enables continuous adjustment between high compliance and high stiffness of the gripper fingers, providing robustness through its mechanical structure. The linear analytical model of the deflection and stiffness of the parallel beam is derived, which is suitable for small and medium deflections. The contribution of each parameter of the parallel beam to the stiffness is analyzed and discussed. Also, a prototype of the VSG is developed, achieving a stiffness ratio of 70.9, which is highly competitive. Moreover, a vision-based force sensing method utilizing ArUco markers is proposed as a replacement for traditional force sensors. By this method, the VSG is capable of closed-loop control during the grasping process, ensuring efficiency and safety under a well-defined grasping strategy framework. Experimental tests are conducted to emphasize the importance and safety of stiffness variation. In addition, it shows the high performance of the VSG in adaptive grasping for asymmetric scenarios and its ability to flexible grasping for objects with various hardness and fragility. These findings provide new insights for future developments in the field of variable stiffness grippers.