Behavior is considered the response to internal and external stimuli. Both the basal ganglia as well as the cerebellum process internal (homeostatic) and external (environmental) cortical information in order to orchestrate adequately adapted behavior and send this processed information via the thalamus back to the cortex for final execution through motor neurons and neuromuscular structures. The basal ganglia arrange for the appropriate selection of behavioral fragments (response selection) out of the available pool of learned standard behaviors, and define their magnitude, while the cerebellum together with the sensory, visual, and vestibular organs deal with their coordination, that is, the exact timing of muscle actions so that the body can move smoothly. The final execution of these movements is enabled by upper/lower motor neurons and neuromuscular structures.

Technology (especially the high energy-consuming blockchain) is not often associated with environmental goals but the elements of peer-to-peer networks, sharing economy and ‘direct’ finance in the Fintech world present coherence and continuity with the ESG world. Furthermore, the potential of Fintech in reducing costs, connecting people on a global scale, improving financial inclusion, diversification and resilience offer great opportunities also in the area of sustainable finance, advancing societal factors. Nonetheless, relevant risks and limitations must be considered, too. This chapter will first introduce the emerging area of sustainable digital finance, with particular regard to environmental objectives. Second, it will focus on ‘green Fintech’ facilitating capital raising. In particular, the chapter will analyse the main legal and technical challenges related to green financing, with special regard to green crowdfunding, green tokens offerings and other Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)-based opportunities, also considering recent EU regulatory initiatives, also advancing some policy proposals.

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by abnormal aggregation of hyperphosphorylated 4R-tau in cortical and subcortical areas of the brain. It is associated with various clinical phenotypes, such as the characteristic clinical phenotype corticobasal syndrome (CBS), which manifests with asymmetric akinetic–rigid, poorly levodopa-responsive parkinsonism, and cerebral cortical dysfunction. Other associated phenotypes are progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) syndrome, frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-like dementia, and non-fluent/agrammatic variant of primary progressive aphasia. Precise use of terminology is critical for a common understanding in discussions of clinical phenotype, attempted clinical diagnosis of CBD with its many presenting phenotypes, and accurate pathologic diagnosis (which can only be made neuropathologically). Diagnosis of probable or possible CBS and the other CBD-associated syndromes is based on the presence of certain clinical features. Pathologic and neuroimaging findings and currently available biological markers are discussed. Treatment for CBD and CBS is symptomatic and supportive at present.

This introduction serves as a preface to the volume and provides an overview of the purpose of this Companion, and a paragraph about each essay in the collection.

Using high-order simulations, we have shed light on complex chemically reacting flow processes and identified new mechanisms of the supersonic combustion process. We have employed 11th-order accurate implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) in conjunction with a finite-rate (Arrhenius) thermochemistry model using a reduced reaction mechanism for the combustion of hydrogen and air. We compare the coarse-grained computations with available experiments from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and discuss the accuracy and uncertainties. A supersonic combustion chamber can be accurately modelled using high-order ILES without a specific turbulence-chemistry model. The simulations reveal that the flame intermittently propagates upstream behind the wedge-shaped flame holder, alternating between the upper and lower turbulent free shear layers at a frequency of ≃ 7,990 Hz. This can be a leading cause of unsteady pressure loadings on the interior surfaces downstream of the combustion chamber and is a crucial structural design parameter. Furthermore, the simulations reveal that high temperatures are sustained long distances downstream of the combustion onset. A barycentric map for the Reynolds stresses is employed to analyze the turbulent anisotropy. The results correlate the axisymmetric contraction and expansion of turbulence with the interaction of the reflected shock waves and the supersonic combustion hydroxyl production regions. The physics insights presented in this study could potentially lead to more efficient supersonic combustion and engineering designs.

The concluding chapter discusses the implications of Hong Kong’s contentious politics within the global context of democratic backsliding and spontaneous mass mobilizations. We highlight the contributions of our theoretical framework and the implications of Hong Kong’s contentious pathways for hybrid regimes and beyond.

Autoimmune movement disorders, although relatively rare, are not to be missed because of the treatment implications. There is a broad clinical spectrum, but recognition of some characteristic forms, or associated red flags or other clues, can point to the diagnosis. This chapter covers the clinical spectrum of primary neurologic or systemic autoimmune disease presenting or mainly manifesting as a movement disorder, and addresses the underlying immune-pathophysiologic aspects.