A closer look at an eroded dune landscape: first functional insights into the Federmessergruppen site of Lommel-Maatheide

The vast Federmessergruppen site of Lommel-Maatheide, which is located in the Campine region (Northern Belgium), revealed the presence of numerous Final Palaeolithic concentrations situated on a large Late Glacial sand ridge on the northern edge of a contemporary lake. This situation offers a unique possibility for a large-scale functional analysis in order to understand the occupation of such a Late Glacial dune landscape. The variable preservation state of the lithic artefacts permitted to evaluate in detail the impact of post-depositional processes on the potential of functional studies. Also, the impact of excavation protocols on the preservation of wear traces and residues was evaluated, in particular the impact of mechanical sieving. The integrated functional research that included the microscopic examination of wear traces, fractures and residues, next to experimentation, permitted the identification of a range of crafting and hunting activities, thereby demonstrating the potential of such assemblages for obtaining innovative insights into Late Glacial site dynamics in spite of a varying preservation state.

A closer look at an eroded dune landscape: first functional insights into the Federmessergruppen site of Lommel-Maatheide

The vast Federmessergruppen site of Lommel-Maatheide, which is located in the Campine region (Northern Belgium), revealed the presence of numerous Final Palaeolithic concentrations situated on a large Late Glacial sand ridge on the northern edge of a contemporary lake. This situation offers a unique possibility for a large-scale functional analysis in order to understand the occupation of such a Late Glacial dune landscape. The variable preservation state of the lithic artefacts permitted to evaluate in detail the impact of post-depositional processes on the potential of functional studies. Also, the impact of excavation protocols on the preservation of wear traces and residues was evaluated, in particular the impact of mechanical sieving. The integrated functional research that included the microscopic examination of wear traces, fractures and residues, next to experimentation, permitted the identification of a range of crafting and hunting activities, thereby demonstrating the potential of such assemblages for obtaining innovative insights into Late Glacial site dynamics in spite of a varying preservation state.

What Can COVID-19 Teach Us about Using AI in Pandemics?

The COVID-19 pandemic put significant strain on societies and their resources, with the healthcare system and workers being particularly affected. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers the unique possibility of improving the response to a pandemic as it emerges and evolves. Here, we utilize the WHO framework of a pandemic evolution to analyze the various AI applications. Specifically, we analyzed AI from the perspective of all five domains of the WHO pandemic response. To effectively review the current scattered literature, we organized a sample of relevant literature from various professional and popular resources. The article concludes with a consideration of AI’s weaknesses as key factors affecting AI in future pandemic preparedness and response.

UKRAINIAN IDENTITY IN BUILDINGS OF IVAN LEVYNSKYI’S COMPANY

The diversity of styles of the architectural environment at the outset of the 20 th century gave a unique possibility to express the national identity of a building in its forms and details. The Ukrainian identity was not only present in the buildings of the Lviv but also equally competed with other styles, thanks to the creative methods of interpretation of compositional solutions that were traditional for the Ukrainian architecture and design, implemented by the company of Ivan Levynskyi. Buildings designed and constructed for the Ukrainian community contributed greatly to the preservation and purposeful formation of the Ukrainian architectural image of Lviv. They present a valuable foundation for the creative rethinking and use in conditions of the current architectural process in Ukraine.

COVID-19 in Light of Seasonal Respiratory Infections

A wide diversity of zoonotic viruses that are capable of overcoming host range barriers facilitate the emergence of new potentially pandemic viruses in the human population. When faced with a new virus that is rapidly emerging in the human population, we have a limited knowledge base to work with. The pandemic invasion of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus in 2019 provided a unique possibility to quickly learn more about the pathogenesis of respiratory viruses. In this review, the impact of pandemics on the circulation of seasonal respiratory viruses is considered. The emergence of novel respiratory viruses has often been accompanied by the disappearance of existing circulating strains. Some issues arising from the spread of pandemic viruses and underlying the choices of a strategy to fight the coronavirus infection are discussed.

K2: Background Survey – the search for undiscovered transients in Kepler/K2 data

ABSTRACT The K2 mission of the Kepler Space Telescope offers a unique possibility to examine sources of both Galactic and extragalactic origin with high-cadence photometry. Alongside the multitude of supernovae and quasars detected within targeted galaxies, it is likely that Kepler has serendipitously observed many transients throughout K2. Such events will likely have occurred in background pixels, coincidentally surrounding science targets. Analysing the background pixels presents the possibility to conduct a high-cadence survey with areas of a few square degrees per campaign. We demonstrate the capacity to independently recover key K2 transients such as KSN 2015K and SN 2018oh. With this survey, we expect to detect numerous transients and determine the first comprehensive rates for transients with lifetimes of ≤1 d.

On Caputo’s Heidegger: A Prolegomenon of Transgressions to a Religion without Religion

This article seeks to distill key moments in the early work of the philosopher John D. Caputo. In considering his early investigations of Martin Heidegger, it argues that an adequate account of the trajectory of his later theological project requires a refraction through a crucial double gesture in these earlier writings. To this end, the article follows Caputo’s relationship with Heidegger where the optics of ‘overcoming metaphysics’ are laid bare (the first gesture). In these deliberations, alongside Neo-Scholastic Thomism, it is clear that what constitutes (theological) metaphysics for Caputo is any thinking which fails to think that which ‘gives’ the distinction between Being and beings. The second gesture, then, reveals ‘a certain way’ (d’une certaine maniére) of reading that allows him not only the unique possibility to re-read Scholastic Thomism by way of Meister Eckhart, but also the delimitation of the mythological construal of Being in the later Heidegger himself. The article’s methodological argument is that this transgressionary impulse gleaned from Heidegger, constitutes the ‘origins’ of Caputo’s move into the ethical-religious paradigm of deconstruction and, therefore, is also axiomatic for his later radical theology of ‘religion without religion.’

Sense Structure of Modal Units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” (in Italian)

The article focuses on appropriateness’s of quantifying ofinformation in microtext of functioning of modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” in the Italian language. Modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” determine quantifying of information in microtext being nucleus and forming modal structures together with joined components. The modal structure is formed by joined components in according to the regularity rules in the prenuclear zone(components combined with modal construction“non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” or modal construction “non potere far a meno di” and the near-peripheral zone (components used in the modal sentence with these modal constructions or in adjacent sentences). The modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” acquire the status of modal structures in the microtext oh their functioning. These modal units conserving the liaison with their inner form possess semantic implicatures of contrast and reactivity. The modal unit “non potere far a meno di” possesses one more semantic implicature: actionality. The typical microtexts of functioning of the Italian modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” are perceptional, emotional and epistemic.The modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” express the modal meaning of unique possibility and the unique possible reation of subject in certain circumstances. Usually such situation take place hic et nunc or is described through reflection of a subject (memories). Such reactions are characterized by absence of intention from the part of subject, spontaneity, impossibility of control that makes them impossible to be simulated or hidden. The modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” acquiring the status of modal structures in the microtext oh their functioning determine peculiarities of using of idiomatic means in the pre-nuclear zone, near-periphery zone and periphery zone. Idiomatic means typical for a microtext of functioning of the modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” characterize their sense structure. Such means are correlated with the modal meaning of unique possibility that expresses a contrast between factors of reality and imaginations or system of values of the subject of modal meaning that produce reaction of resistance. Being analyzed idiomatic means of different levels using in microtext of functioning of modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” it is determined that the modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” are markers of spontaneous non controlled sensorial, emotional or epistemic reaction of a subject that contradicts of his imaginations or system of values and usually causes emotional reaction of astonishment, admiration, embarrassment, fear. These modal units expressing the modal meaning ofunique possibility indicate the unique possible reaction by certain circumstances.In the pre-nuclear zone“nonpoterastenersi(trattenersi) da” and “nonpoterefaramenodi”are used lexical units thet express sensorial reaction (fremere, rabbrividire, sobbalzare, sussultare), emotional reaction (sorridere, ridere, interrompere qc con una risata), epistemic reaction or verba dicendi (richiedere, esclamare, gridare, notare, acido). In the near-peripheral zone are verbalized factors that caused a reaction of subject of modal evaluation such as lexical units of positive or negative evaluation, actional semantics. In the peripheral zone such information is completed end detailed. The microtect of functioning of the modal units “non potere trattenersi (astenersi) da” and “non potere far a meno di” is characterized by sense relations of contradictory between certain segments.

Search for new decays of the Λ0b baryon at the LHCb experiment

High statistics collected by the LHCb experiment between 2011 and 2018 in proton-proton (pp) collisions at the Large Hadron Colllider (LHC), jointly with the large cross-section of bb− pairs production provides unique possibility for the search and study new decays of beauty hadrons. The results of search for new decays of the Λ0b baryons are presented. In particular the decays Λ0b → Λ+c pp−π−, Λ0b → J/ψΛ, Λ0b → ψ(2S)Λ, Λ0b → ψ(2S)pπ−, Λ0b → χc1(3872)pK− and Λ0b → Λγ are found and branching fraction ratios measurement for these decays are done. Also the study of the Λ0bπ+π− systems led to the observation of two new excited Λ0b states, denoted as Λb(6146)0 and Λb(6152)0, are found.

EXTREME STORM EVENTS ON OKTYABR’SKAYA SPIT

Extreme storm events occur on Oktyabr’skaya spit (Kamchatka) every year and destroy the only road connecting Oktyabr’skii village with the mainland. 30.11.2011 and 2.04.2012 we had a unique possibility to be on the spit at the time of such events. Significant geomorphic change occurred and the road was damaged. We documented the processes, as well as the effects.