bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Homozygous Mutation in the FANCD2 Gene Observed in a Saudi Male Infant with Severe Ambiguous Genitalia
Authors: Al Jabri Aida , Al Naim Nusaybah , Al Dossari Abeer
Published: July 2021

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive inherited disease caused by gene mutations that are primarily involved in the response to or repair of DNA damage. FA characterizes by multiple congenital abnormalities and malformations including growth retardation, renal agenesis, absence of radial bones and thumbs as well, progressive bone marrow failure, irregular skin pigmentation patterns, and increased susceptibility to cancer. FANCD2 gene mutation is believed to be one of the causative mutations in Fanconi anemia, and despite many case reports that link the FANC gene mutation to multiple congenital anomalies and disease, there is no case report found to link it with genitalia abnormalities. In our paper, we report a male Saudi infant who presented to the endocrine clinic at the age of 9 months with severe ambiguous genitalia and found that he carries a homozygous variant mutation in the FANCD2 gene and we face a challenge to treat this patient since there was no previous similar case.
Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Osteoporosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liu Weida , Wang Chuangshi , Hao Jun , Yin Lu , Wang Yang , Li Wei
Published: July 2021

Background. Previous studies have reached mixed conclusions regarding the association between metabolic syndrome (MS) and osteoporosis. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis based on published studies that explored the association between osteoporosis and MS. Methods. To identify related literature, a systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases from inception to June 2020 was performed. Original studies that reported the risk estimates of osteoporosis morbidity for two or three categories of bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with MS were selected. Two independent investigators screened and selected the articles. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models. Results. Of 2632 identified studies, nine cross-sectional studies with 14 datasets were eligible for our meta-analysis. In seven studies (10 datasets), the summarized ORs of osteoporosis for MS were 0.72 (95% CI: 0.52–0.99). Subgroup analyses by gender showed that significant inverse associations were observed only in men (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55–0.96) but not in women (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.41–1.22). The definition of MS, the source of the study population, and the adjustment of covariates affected the estimates. In two studies (4 datasets), there was no evidence for an association between MS and decreased BMD. Conclusions. Our findings demonstrated that MS was significantly associated with a lower osteoporosis risk. There might be gender differences in the association between MS and osteoporosis. In addition, the association was likely to relate to the definition of MS, the source of the study population, and the adjustment of covariates.
Influencing Factors’ Analysis of Disturbance Degree of Key Stratum Based on the Response Surface Method
Authors: Li Yang , Wang Nan , Ren Yuqi , Ou Xiangji , Liu Yikun , Luo Junbo , Mei Canqi
Published: July 2021

The key stratum controls the activities of the overlying strata or the whole strata up to the surface, which is one of the important research objects in the coal seam mining. Based on the analysis of several geological factors affecting on the key stratum, the definition of “disturbance degree of key stratum” (KSDD) was proposed. And, the KSDD is quantified by the value among 0 to 10. Through the response surface method, experiments of three factors (mining height, buried depth, and interlayer spacing) with three different lithology types (soft, medium, and hard) between key stratum and coal seam are signed. And, the KSDD of each scheme is calculated by the developed calculation system. The response surface regression models of KSDD with three lithology types are established. And, the single influence and interactive influences of the three factors on the KSDD with different lithology types are studied. The results show that the following. (1) Mining height and buried depth are positively correlated with the value of KSDD, and the interlayer spacing is negatively correlated with KSDD. However, when the value of interlayer spacing exceeds 30 m, the change of the KSDD tends to be gentle. (2) The value of KSDD is not only affected by a single factor but also affected by the interaction of various factors. With the increase of burial depth, the decrease of interlayer spacing and the impact of mining height on key stratum are more severe. (3) The influence order of each factor on KSDD is as follows: the interlayer spacing > mining height > buried depth. (4) Although the three factors interact with each other, the three factors decrease with the increase of the lithology proportional coefficient. According to the above research results, based on the calculation results of KSDD on five mines, the variation laws of KSDD with actual situation are analysed. And, the calculation results further verify the above experimental rules, which provide a certain reference and theoretical basis for the design of backfilling parameters and the management of the roof.
New Product Presale Strategies considering Consumers’ Loss Aversion in the E-Commerce Supply Chain
Authors: Lan Chongfeng , Zhu Jianfeng
Published: July 2021

New product presale is a strategic behavior of manufacturers to transfer inventory risks to consumers. The research purpose of this paper is to examine the presale discount, inventory, and service level decisions in an e-commerce supply chain, where the first period is the presale period and the second is the selling period for the new product. First, consumers were divided into two types—those who are risk averse and those who are not. Then, considering different presale discounts applied for new products, three presale strategy models were discussed: no-presale strategy, presale strategy with a moderate discount, and complete presale strategy, and the optimal decisions of e-commerce supply chain members were obtained under different valuations of the new product by consumers. Finally, the effects of the correlation coefficient between the numbers of the two types of consumers, the loss aversion degree of consumers, and the marginal profit in the sales period on the optimal discounted price and the maximum expected profit were analyzed. The conclusions of this article show that the presale strategy is not always optimal but depends on the parameters of the market and the type of consumers. For example, when the correlation coefficient between the two types of consumers is high, it is more profitable for the suppliers if they choose the presale strategy with a moderate discount, while e-commerce platforms tend to adopt the no-presale strategy. The optimal discounted price in the complete presale case is not necessarily lower than that in the moderately discounted presale case. If the marginal profit is high in the normal sales period or consumers are less averse to losses, suppliers are more likely to adopt the complete presale strategy. The research conclusions provide some theoretical reference for companies in the development of new product presale strategies in the e-commerce supply chain.
Interplay between Extracellular Matrix and Neutrophils in Diseases
Authors: Zhu Yanyan , Huang Yumeng , Ji Qian , Fu Shengqiao , Gu Jia , Tai Ningzheng , Wang Xu
Published: July 2021

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a highly dynamic and complex network structure, which exists in almost all tissues and is the microenvironment that cells rely on for survival. ECM interacts with cells to regulate diverse functions, including differentiation, proliferation, and migration. Neutrophils are the most abundant immune cells in circulation and play key roles in orchestrating a complex series of events during inflammation. Neutrophils can also mediate ECM remodeling by providing specific matrix-remodeling enzymes (such as neutrophil elastase and metalloproteinases), generating neutrophil extracellular traps, and releasing exosomes. In turn, ECM can remodel the inflammatory microenvironment by regulating the function of neutrophils, which drives disease progression. Both the presence of ECM and the interplay between neutrophils and their extracellular matrices are considered an important and outstanding mechanistic aspect of inflammation. In this review, the importance of ECM will be considered, together with the discussion of recent advances in understanding the underlying mechanisms of the intricate interplay between ECM and neutrophils. A better comprehension of immune cell-matrix reciprocal dependence has exciting implications for the development of new therapeutic options for neutrophil-associated infectious and inflammatory diseases.
Oleanolic Acid Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis via the AMPK-mTOR Signaling Pathway in Colon Cancer
Authors: Hu Changxiao , Cao Yibo , Li Ping , Tang Xiaorong , Yang Minhui , Gu Shengliang , Xiong Kai , Li Tian , Xiao Tianbao
Published: July 2021

Aims. The purpose of this study was to explore the biological functions of the mTOR and AMPK signaling pathways in colon cancer (CC). The potential molecular mechanisms by which oleanolic acid (OA) induces autophagy and apoptosis were also investigated. Methods. The biological functions of mTOR were analyzed by GeneCards, the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING), and the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to obtain prognostic and survival data of CC patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The effects of OA on the CC cell lines HCT-116 and SW-480 were analyzed by CCK-8, colony formation assay, and high-content system (HCS) array scan. The apoptosis rate of SW-480 and HCT-116 cells was detected by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expression levels in HCT-116 and SW-480 cells and NCM-460 normal colonic epithelial cells were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Results. mTOR was highly expressed in CC patients and acted as an oncogene. The AMPK signaling pathway mediated by mTOR predicted the poor prognosis of CC patients. OA effectively inhibited the proliferation and viability of CC cells. Furthermore, the apoptosis rate of CC cells was clearly increased following OA administration. Regarding the molecular mechanism of OA, the results indicated that mTOR and the antiapoptosis gene Bcl-2 were downregulated by OA. In addition, regulator genes of autophagy and apoptosis, including BAX, caspase-9, caspase-8, and caspase-3, were significantly upregulated by OA. Moreover, OA upregulated AMPK and its downstream proteins, including TSC2, BAX, Beclin 1, LC3B-II, and ULK1, to induce autophagy and apoptosis in CC cells. Conclusion. The findings from this study demonstrate that OA could effectively inhibit the proliferation and viability of CC cells. The anti-CC activity of OA is closely related to the activation of the AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway. Activation of AMPK and inhibition of mTOR are involved in the induction of autophagy and apoptosis by OA. OA induced autophagy and apoptosis mainly in an AMPK activation-dependent manner in CC cells.
Multi-Authority Criteria-Based Encryption Scheme for IoT
Authors: Sun Jianguo , Yang Yang , Liu Zechao , Qiao Yuqing
Published: July 2021

Currently, the Internet of Things (IoT) provides individuals with real-time data processing and efficient data transmission services, relying on extensive edge infrastructures. However, those infrastructures may disclose sensitive information of consumers without authorization, which makes data access control to be widely researched. Ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) is regarded as an effective cryptography tool for providing users with a fine-grained access policy. In prior ABE schemes, the attribute universe is only managed by a single trusted central authority (CA), which leads to a reduction in security and efficiency. In addition, all attributes are considered equally important in the access policy. Consequently, the access policy cannot be expressed flexibly. In this paper, we propose two schemes with a new form of encryption named multi-authority criteria-based encryption (CE) scheme. In this context, the schemes express each criterion as a polynomial and have a weight on it. Unlike ABE schemes, the decryption will succeed if and only if a user satisfies the access policy and the weight exceeds the threshold. The proposed schemes are proved to be secure under the decisional bilinear Diffie–Hellman exponent assumption (q-BDHE) in the standard model. Finally, we provide an implementation of our works, and the simulation results indicate that our schemes are highly efficient.
Unintended Consequences of Agricultural Participation in Voluntary Carbon Markets: Their Nature and Avoidance
Authors: Wang Minglu , McCarl Bruce , Wei Hanlin , Shiva Layla
Published: July 2021

Greenhouse gas (GHG) trading markets have been widely discussed for climate change mitigation. However in implementation coverage has not been universal. Agriculture, despite being the source of nearly 25% of net emissions, has not commonly been capped. But it has been mentioned as voluntary source of net emission offsets. Such offsets could arise from action reducing GHG emissions, enhancing sequestration, or producing feedstocks for low emitting bioenergy replacements for fossil based energy. This could be harnessed by setting up voluntary carbon markets that producers could join at their discretion. However, such a scheme could have unintended consequences. We conduct theoretical and empirical analyses of a voluntary “carbon” market examining both intended and unintended effects. We find certain participation rules can stimulate rebound effects from emitters and suppress participation from sequestration and bioenergy producing entities. To overcome this we develop and simulate offset participation limitations that could preclude unintended consequences.
Modeling and Solving Scheduling in Overloaded Situations with Weighted Partial MaxSAT
Authors: Liao Xiaojuan , Zhang Hui , Koshimura Miyuki , Huang Rong , Yu Wenxin , Li Fagen
Published: July 2021

In real-time systems, where tasks have timing requirements, once the workload exceeds the system’s capacity, missed due dates may cause system overload. In this situation, finding an optimal scheduling that minimizes the cumulative values of late tasks is critical in both theory and practice. Recently, formalizing scheduling problems as a class of generalized problems, such as Satisfiability Modulo Theory (SMT) and Maximum Satisfiability (MaxSAT), has been receiving immense concern. Enlightened by the high efficiency of these satisfiability-based methods, this paper formulates the single-machine scheduling problem of minimizing the total weight of late tasks as a Weighted Partial Maximum (WPM) Satisfiability problem. In the formulation, scheduling features are encoded as rigidly enforced hard clauses and the scheduling objective is treated as a set of weighted soft ones. Then an off-the-shelf WPM solver is exploited to maximize the total weight of the satisfied soft clauses, provided that all the hard clauses are satisfied. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared with the existing satisfiability-based methods, the proposed method significantly improves the efficiency of identifying the optimal schedule. Moreover, we make minor changes to apply the WPM formulation to parallel-machine scheduling, showing that the proposed method is sufficiently flexible and well scalable.
Multiparameter Control Strategy and Method for Cutting Arm of Roadheader
Authors: Wang Pengjiang , Shen Yang , Ji Xiaodong , Zong Kai , Zheng Weixiong , Wang Dongjie , Wu Miao
Published: July 2021

A multiparameter control strategy and method for the cutting arm of a roadheader is proposed through the operation analysis of roadheader. The method can address the problems of low intelligence and low cutting efficiency faced by the roadheader in the cutting process. The control strategy is divided into two parts: the cutting load identification part and the swing speed control part. The former part is designed using a backpropagation neural network that is optimized by an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm. The latter part is optimally designed using a fuzzy PID controller with improved simulated annealing particle swarm optimization. The simulation analysis in SIMULINK showed that the response time was reduced, proving the robustness of the method. In addition, experimental studies verified the good control effect of the method under different cutting states. The proposed method uses multiparameter to intelligently change the swing speed, providing a theoretical and practical basis for the realization of intelligent and unmanned cutting of roadheader.
Biderivations and Commuting Linear Maps on Topologically Simple

ℒ

∗

-Algebras
Authors: Ben Yahya Abdelaziz
Published: July 2021

Let

ℒ

be a topologically simple

ℒ

∗

-algebra of arbitrary dimension. In this paper, we introduce the notion of semi-inner biderivation in order to prove that every continuous commuting linear mapping on

ℒ

is a scalar multiple of the identity mapping.
Adaptive Ku‐Band Solar Rectenna for Internet‐of‐Things‐ (IoT)‐over‐Satellite Applications
Authors: Baccouch Chokri , Bahhar Chayma , Sakli Hedi , Aguili Taoufik
Published: July 2021

The emergence of new IoT applications in regional and remote areas has increased the need for a global IoT connectivity beyond existing terrestrial network coverage. However, in many cases, it is not economically viable to build a dedicated terrestrial network to cover these remote areas due to population sparsity and the lack of business case. In this paper, we propose a framework for designing a solar rectenna for IoT‐over‐satellite applications using nanosatellites. Utilizing such a framework will allow valuable radio spectrum resources to be shared between satellite and terrestrial users. Thus, the autonomous power supply of these objects becomes a big challenge. Indeed, the harvest of solar energy and the conversion of RF energy into electric voltage are a hot topic. Our contribution consists in offering a solar rectenna system to collect solar and RF energy as well as the radio frequency transmission. A parametric study is carried out to follow the influence on the performance of this system. A topology of rectifying circuits is proposed in the present work. The parametric study has shown that the efficiency RF/DC conversion can reach 23.2% for an input power of 5 dBm and a load resistance of 2 kΩ. To ensure the satellite communication of IoT‐connected autonomous objects, this system is operated in the X or Ku band.
The Early Diagnostic Dilemma in Angioimmunoblastic T Cell Lymphoma with Excessive Plasma Cells Proliferation
Authors: Wang Chunyan , Mao Xia , Liu Songya , He Cheng , Wang Ying , Zhu Li , Wang Yangyang , Zhang Yicheng
Published: July 2021

Background. Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is an aggressive Epstein–Barr virus-associated T cell lymphoma. Clinical syndromes of AITL are not confined to fever and lymphadenopathy, and patients may initially present with polyclonal plasma cell proliferation, which may obscure the underlying disease of AITL, delaying diagnosis. Case Presentation. Here, we report two AITL patients with excessive plasma cell proliferation in the bone marrow, peripheral blood, and ascites even mimicking plasma cell leukemia. Both of them had poor endings. Conclusions. Our report emphasizes the complexity of the clinical manifestations of AITL, which aims to increase the alertness of physicians and improve the rate of early diagnosis. Integrated diagnostic approaches such as histopathology, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, and molecular biology are essential for accurate diagnosis and precise therapy.
Design and Evaluation of a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program for Chinese Patent Medicine based on Knowledge Graph
Authors: Xiong Wangping , Cao Jun , Zhou Xian , Du Jianqiang , Nie Bin , Zeng Zhijun , Li Tianci
Published: July 2021

Background. Chinese patent medicines are increasingly used clinically, and the prescription drug monitoring program is an effective tool to promote drug safety and maintain health. Methods. We constructed a prescription drug monitoring program for Chinese patent medicines based on knowledge graphs. First, we extracted the key information of Chinese patent medicines, diseases, and symptoms from the domain-specific corpus by the information extraction. Second, based on the extracted entities and relationships, a knowledge graph was constructed to form a rule base for the monitoring of data. Then, the named entity recognition model extracted the key information from the electronic medical record to be monitored and matched the knowledge graph to realize the monitoring of the Chinese patent medicines in the prescription. Results. Named entity recognition based on the pretrained model achieved an F1 value of 83.3% on the Chinese patent medicines dataset. On the basis of entity recognition technology and knowledge graph, we implemented a prescription drug monitoring program for Chinese patent medicines. The accuracy rate of combined medication monitoring of three or more drugs of the program increased from 68% to 86.4%. The accuracy rate of drug control monitoring increased from 70% to 97%. The response time for conflicting prescriptions with two drugs was shortened from 1.3S to 0.8S. The response time for conflicting prescriptions with three or more drugs was shortened from 5.2S to 1.4S. Conclusions. The program constructed in this study can respond quickly and improve the efficiency of monitoring prescriptions. It is of great significance to ensure the safety of patients’ medication.
Modified Sage‐Husa Adaptive Kalman Filter‐Based SINS/DVL Integrated Navigation System for AUV
Authors: Liu Ruixin , Liu Fucheng , Liu Chunning , Zhang Pengchao
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a modified Sage‐Husa adaptive Kalman filter‐based SINS/DVL integrated navigation system for the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), where DVL is employed to correct the navigation errors of SINS that accumulate over time. When negative definite items are large enough, different from the positive definiteness of noise matrices which cannot be guaranteed for the conventional Sage‐Husa adaptive Kalman filter, the proposed modified Sage‐Husa adaptive Kalman filter deletes the negative definite items of adaptive update laws of the noise matrix to ensure the convergence of the Sage‐Husa adaptive Kalman filter. In other words, this method sacrifices some filtering precision to ensure the stability of the filter. The simulation tests are implemented to verify that expected navigation accuracy for AUV can be obtained using the proposed modified Sage‐Husa adaptive Kalman filter.
Aborto: preceitos constitucionais e o respeito à autonomia da vontade da mulher
Authors: Nascimento Leonardo Victor do
Published: July 2021

Objetivo: Atualmente no Brasil é recorrente a discussão sobre a descriminalização da interrupção voluntária da gravidez ou a manutenção da criminalização. Em razão disso, a importância do presente trabalho para uma análise constitucional sobre o tema e quais princípios fundamentais a criminalização estaria ferindo. Ademais, o estudo objetivou conceituar o aborto e como hoje este é estruturado no sistema jurídico brasileiro, quais possibilidades existentes de realizar o abortamento no Brasil sem que exista a criminalização, e apontamentos sobre a criação da Portaria nº 2.561/2020 e se ela viola direitos fundamentais das mulheres. Há ainda uma análise da ADI 3.510 sobre uma visão de equilíbrio de direitos entre feto e ser humano no judiciário. Métodos: A metodologia utilizada para a pesquisa foi a revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema e análise jurisprudencial. Conclusão: O estudo resultou na inconstitucionalidade da criminalização da interrupção voluntária da gravidez, por infração dos princípios da dignidade da pessoa humana e da autonomia da vontade, não podendo o Estado interferir na decisão íntima e privada da mulher.
Estudo de 127 casos de violência sexual contra vulneráveis do sexo masculino atendidos no Programa Bem Me Quer em 2014
Authors: Gomes Filho Carlos Henri , Miziara Ivan Dieb , Uzelin Nataly Cristina Reis , Gianvecchio Daniele Muñoz
Published: July 2021

Violência sexual é qualquer ato sexual indesejado voltado contra a sexualidade de uma pessoa, praticado por qualquer pessoa, independentemente de sua relação com a vítima, em qualquer cenário. A literatura sobre violência sexual contra crianças do sexo masculino é escassa. O objetivo deste trabalho é descrever os atos libidinosos referidos por vulneráveis do sexo masculino atendidos em 2014 na Equipe de Perícias Médico Legais Bem Me Quer do Instituto Médico Legal do Estado de São Paulo (IML), além de dados epidemiológicos, como idade das supostas vítimas, relação interpessoal com o alegado agressor, tempo ocorrido entre a suposta violência e a perícia, presença de lesões corporais e positividade na coleta de espermatozoides. Foi realizada uma análise retrospectiva de dados coletados de perícias realizadas no ano 2014. Após aplicação dos critérios de inclusão e exclusão, foram estudados os laudos de 127 vulneráveis do sexo masculino. O suposto ato libidinoso referido mais frequente foi o coito anal (25%). A média de idade das supostas vítimas foi 6,85 anos. O alegado agressor mais comum foi um conhecido (25%). Em 23% dos casos, o exame pericial ocorreu dentro das primeiras 24 horas, e em 10% dos casos foi constatada lesão corporal de natureza leve. Não houve positividade da coleta de espermatozoide, o que prejudica a comprovação da violência sexual.
Reflexões éticas e legais sobre a prática odontológica em tempos de pandemia de COVID-19
Authors: Pinheiro Felipe de Almeida , Coltri Marcos Vinicius , Pereira Julia Gabriela Dietrichkeit , Silva Ricardo Henrique Alves da
Published: July 2021

Em março de 2020 foi declarada pela Organização Mundial da Saúde a pandemia da doença COVID-19, causada pelo vírus SARS-CoV-2. Como estratégia para minimizar a transmissão da doença, órgãos públicos e entidades de saúde publicaram novas resoluções, notas técnicas, recomendações e protocolos referentes à prática odontológica. O objetivo do estudo foi abordar as implicações das normativas referentes à pandemia de COVID-19 no exercício profissional e discuti-las com as disposições éticas e legais vigentes, a fim de auxiliar na conduta segura dos cirurgiões-dentistas nesse período. Concluiu-se que embora o distanciamento social seja considerado uma das estratégias principais para prevenir a transmissão viral durante a pandemia de COVID-19, garantir o funcionamento de serviços odontológicos é imprescindível para a promoção da saúde populacional. Assim, o atendimento odontológico é viável, quando necessário e permitido, e se forem seguidos todos os preceitos éticos e legais para atuação, o profissional pode afastar a possibilidade de se envolver em processos judiciais provenientes desses atendimentos.
Changes in Cortical Coherence Supporting Complex Visual and Social Processing in Adolescence
Authors: Lerner Yulia , Scherf K. Suzanne , Katkov Mikhail , Hasson Uri , Behrmann Marlene
Published: July 2021

Despite our differences, there is much about the natural visual world that most observers perceive in common. Across adults, approximately 30% of the brain is activated in a consistent fashion while viewing naturalistic input. At what stage of development is this consistency of neural profile across individuals present? Here, we focused specifically on whether this mature profile is present in adolescence, a key developmental period that bridges childhood and adulthood, and in which new cognitive and social challenges are at play. We acquired fMRI data evoked by a movie shown twice to younger (9–14 years old) and older adolescents (15–19 years old) and to adults, and conducted three key analyses. First, we characterized the consistency of the neural response within individuals (across separate runs of the movie), then within individuals of the same age group, and, last, between age groups. The neural consistency within individuals was similar across age groups with reliable activation in largely overlapping but slightly different cortical regions. In contrast, somewhat differing regions exhibited higher within-age correlations in both groups of adolescents than in the adults. Last, across the whole cortex, we identified regions evincing different patterns of maturation across age. Together, these findings provide a fine-grained characterization of functional neural development in adolescence and uncover signatures of widespread change in cortical coherence that supports the emerging mature stereotypical responses to naturalistic stimuli. These results also offer a more nuanced account of development that obeys neither a rigid linear progression nor a large qualitative change over time.
Behavioral and Brain Responses Highlight the Role of Usage in the Preparation of Multiword Utterances for Production
Authors: Jeong Hyein , van den Hoven Emiel , Madec Sylvain , Bürki Audrey
Published: July 2021

Usage-based theories assume that all aspects of language processing are shaped by the distributional properties of the language. The frequency not only of words but also of larger chunks plays a major role in language processing. These theories predict that the frequency of phrases influences the time needed to prepare these phrases for production and their acoustic duration. By contrast, dominant psycholinguistic models of utterance production predict no such effects. In these models, the system keeps track of the frequency of individual words but not of co-occurrences. This study investigates the extent to which the frequency of phrases impacts naming latencies and acoustic duration with a balanced design, where the same words are recombined to build high- and low-frequency phrases. The brain signal of participants is recorded so as to obtain information on the electrophysiological bases and functional locus of frequency effects. Forty-seven participants named pictures using high- and low-frequency adjective–noun phrases. Naming latencies were shorter for high-frequency than low-frequency phrases. There was no evidence that phrase frequency impacted acoustic duration. The electrophysiological signal differed between high- and low-frequency phrases in time windows that do not overlap with conceptualization or articulation processes. These findings suggest that phrase frequency influences the preparation of phrases for production, irrespective of the lexical properties of the constituents, and that this effect originates at least partly when speakers access and encode linguistic representations. Moreover, this study provides information on how the brain signal recorded during the preparation of utterances changes with the frequency of word combinations.
Investigating the Neural Correlates of the Affect Heuristic Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Skagerlund Kenny , Skagenholt Mikael , Hamilton J. Paul , Slovic Paul , Västfjäll Daniel
Published: July 2021

This study investigated the neural correlates of the so-called affect heuristic, which refers to the phenomenon whereby individuals tend to rely on affective states rather than rational deliberation of utility and probabilities during judgments of risk and utility of a given event or scenario. The study sought to explore whether there are shared regional activations during both judgments of relative risk and relative benefit of various scenarios, thus being a potential candidate of the affect heuristic. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we developed a novel risk perception task, based on a preexisting behavioral task assessing the affect heuristic. A whole-brain voxel-wise analysis of a sample of participants (n = 42) during the risk and benefit conditions revealed overlapping clusters in the left insula, left inferior frontal gyrus, and left medial frontal gyrus across conditions. Extraction of parameter estimates of these clusters revealed that activity of these regions during both tasks was inversely correlated with a behavioral measure assessing the inclination to use the affect heuristic. More activity in these areas during risk judgments reflect individuals' ability to disregard momentary affective impulses. The insula may be involved in integrating viscero-somatosensory information and forming a representation of the current emotional state of the body, whereas activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus and medial frontal gyrus indicates that executive processes may be involved in inhibiting the impulse of making judgments in favor of deliberate risk evaluations.
Functional Connectivity during Encoding Predicts Individual Differences in Long-Term Memory
Authors: Lin Qi , Yoo Kwangsun , Shen Xilin , Constable Todd R. , Chun Marvin M.
Published: July 2021

What is the neural basis of individual differences in the ability to hold information in long-term memory (LTM)? Here, we first characterize two whole-brain functional connectivity networks based on fMRI data acquired during an n-back task that robustly predict individual differences in two important forms of LTM, recognition and recollection. We then focus on the recognition memory model and contrast it with a working memory model. Although functional connectivity during the n-back task also predicts working memory performance and the two networks have some shared components, they are also largely distinct from each other: The recognition memory model performance remains robust when we control for working memory, and vice versa. Functional connectivity only within regions traditionally associated with LTM formation, such as the medial temporal lobe and those that show univariate subsequent memory effect, have little predictive power for both forms of LTM. Interestingly, the interactions between these regions and other brain regions play a more substantial role in predicting recollection memory than recognition memory. These results demonstrate that individual differences in LTM are dependent on the configuration of a whole-brain functional network including but not limited to regions associated with LTM during encoding and that such a network is separable from what supports the retention of information in working memory.
Neural Correlates of Subsequent Memory-Related Gaze Reinstatement
Authors: Wynn Jordana S. , Liu Zhong-Xu , Ryan Jennifer D.
Published: July 2021

Mounting evidence linking gaze reinstatement—the recapitulation of encoding-related gaze patterns during retrieval—to behavioral measures of memory suggests that eye movements play an important role in mnemonic processing. Yet, the nature of the gaze scanpath, including its informational content and neural correlates, has remained in question. In this study, we examined eye movement and neural data from a recognition memory task to further elucidate the behavioral and neural bases of functional gaze reinstatement. Consistent with previous work, gaze reinstatement during retrieval of freely viewed scene images was greater than chance and predictive of recognition memory performance. Gaze reinstatement was also associated with viewing of informationally salient image regions at encoding, suggesting that scanpaths may encode and contain high-level scene content. At the brain level, gaze reinstatement was predicted by encoding-related activity in the occipital pole and BG, neural regions associated with visual processing and oculomotor control. Finally, cross-voxel brain pattern similarity analysis revealed overlapping subsequent memory and subsequent gaze reinstatement modulation effects in the parahippocampal place area and hippocampus, in addition to the occipital pole and BG. Together, these findings suggest that encoding-related activity in brain regions associated with scene processing, oculomotor control, and memory supports the formation, and subsequent recapitulation, of functional scanpaths. More broadly, these findings lend support to Scanpath Theory's assertion that eye movements both encode, and are themselves embedded in, mnemonic representations.
Dynamic Interplay between Reward and Voluntary Attention Determines Stimulus Processing in Visual Cortex
Authors: Grahek Ivan , Schettino Antonio , Koster Ernst H. W. , Andersen Søren K.
Published: July 2021

Reward enhances stimulus processing in the visual cortex, but the mechanisms through which this effect occurs remain unclear. Reward prospect can both increase the deployment of voluntary attention and increase the salience of previously neutral stimuli. In this study, we orthogonally manipulated reward and voluntary attention while human participants performed a global motion detection task. We recorded steady-state visual evoked potentials to simultaneously measure the processing of attended and unattended stimuli linked to different reward probabilities, as they compete for attentional resources. The processing of the high rewarded feature was enhanced independently of voluntary attention, but this gain diminished once rewards were no longer available. Neither the voluntary attention nor the salience account alone can fully explain these results. Instead, we propose how these two accounts can be integrated to allow for the flexible balance between reward-driven increase in salience and voluntary attention.
‘A Lantern On the Way’: Pope Francis’ Signposts for Ecclesial Ethics
Authors: Müller Sigrid
Published: July 2021

Pope Francis’ way of doing ecclesial ethics is not easy to understand at first glance. It is often unconventional and does not meet the expectations of the faithful who do not wish to see changes in the church, nor does it satisfy those who want rapid change. But if we look more closely at how the Pope understands the church, his approach to ecclesial ethics seems to derive naturally from that. The following contribution aims to show how Pope Francis’ ecclesiology determines his approach to ecclesial ethics. To this end, it will (1) summarize important characteristics of his ecclesiology: the sensus fidelium and synodality; its orientation towards pastoral ministry, the focus on unity in plurality and its process-orientation. From there, it will show which cornerstones for ecclesial ethics can be derived from this ecclesial perspective, namely (2) with respect to formal characteristics and (3) with regard to its content.
Dignity, Autonomy, and Assisted Suicide: An Ecumenical Perspective on the German Context
Authors: Knoepffler Nikolaus , O’Malley Martin
Published: July 2021

A 2020 decision by Germany’s highest court dramatically shifted the national discussion on assisted suicide. The decision stressed the ‘right to a self-determined death’ which must ‘be respected by state and society as an act of personal autonomy and self-determination’. Moreover, it clarified the non-criminality of assistance for suicides by third parties. The reaction of the main churches in Germany to this decision reflects ecclesiological differences. Protestant positions on assisted suicide are defined by pluralism; the Roman Catholic official position remains tied to ontologically-referenced principles of natural law that prohibit assisted suicide as intrinsically evil. Thus, ecumenical efforts on bioethics are complicated by a context where many Protestant leaders prioritize autonomy and pluralism, whereas Roman Catholic leaders stress consensus and orthodoxy. Even official church guidelines on such matters are received differently in Protestant and Roman Catholic communities. For Protestant Christians, an opinion functions primarily as guideline; for Catholic Christians, there is a goal at least of reaching principles reflecting the objective order of God’s creation.
The History of Protestant Youth Ministry; a Review
Authors: Lukabyo Ruth
Published: July 2021

In the academic study of youth ministry, the disciplines of theology, sociology, and biblical studies are well represented, but not the discipline of history. This paper reviews what has been written about the history of Protestant youth ministry and attempts to synthesise changes over time. Then it highlights particular insights taken from the histories that could help those involved in youth ministry to be critical about their thinking and practice and to undertake practical theology. The insights identified are: the impact of historical context on youth ministry; the tension between nurture and conversion; the influence of theology; the relevance of class; and the importance of considering gender. This paper highlights the need for more research in this area and suggests that this research could assist youth ministers in considering their goals in ministry, their methodology, and the effectiveness of different kinds of youth organisations.
“And the Word was made flesh?” – Exploring young people’s situated learning in leadership and spirituality in a secular context
Authors: Westerlund Katarina
Published: July 2021

This article explores the situated learning found among 18 young volunteers taking part in an education programme about leadership and Christian spirituality in the Church of Sweden. Focus group interviews and observations are analysed in the framework of situated learning, using legitimate peripheral participation as a lens. The study shows how the young people, through the education programme, formed a safe community where new identities were shaped through participating in new ways of worship, making pilgrimages, engaging in peer dialogue, and in reflection. They also gained new perspectives and models for volunteering. The young people´s experience of living in a secular culture presents challenges to their identity formation and to their ongoing spiritual practice and development. The use of situated learning provides a deeper understanding of the process of learning in spirituality and of the problems associated with conflicting communities of practice.
مفهوم الحرية في الفقه الحنفي: الحرية في أفق المصالح والحقوق
Authors: Iter (عبد الله عتر) Abdulla
Published: July 2021

الخلاصة

‫يبرهن البحث أن فكرة الحرية كانت حاضرة ومؤثرة في التشريع الإسلامي، وأنها انتقلت مع الحنفية من مجرد فكرة عامة إلى كونها مفهوماً محدداً ذا نطاق مفتوح على مسائل الاجتماع والاقتصاد والأسرة والسياسة والقضاء، وأخذت عندهم موقعاً مركزياً ضمن منظومة المصالح والحقوق. يخلص البحث إلى أن مفهوم الحرية عند الحنفية تأسس على ثلاثة أركان: يتمثل الأول في تفسير المصالح بوصفها حريات ومنافع، وهو ما جعل للحرية تأثيراً كبيراً في التشريع ومناهج الاجتهاد، ويتمثل الثاني في تقعيد الحقوق الأصلية للإنسان ضمن مثلث الحياة والحرية والملكية، ثم ربط الحرية بخواص الآدمية واعتبارها ضماناً لبقاء العالم والمجتمعات على الوجه الأكمل، وأنها شطر الحكمة من خلق البشر ونزول الشريعة، بينما يتمثل الركن الثالث بشبكة مفاهيم حافة ومؤثرة في تعريف الحرية وحدودها وآفاقها، وهي: البقاء، والآدمية، والأمانة، والمنفعة، والعبادة، والعقل والقوة.‬
The Consolidation of Education and Health in Families
Authors: Maralani Vida , Portier Camille
Published: July 2021

For a given person, many socioeconomic resources are correlated, but resources also accumulate in families, depending on how people sort in relationships based on their individual characteristics. This study proposes that people match on multiple resources in long-term relationships as a strategy for creating families with systematically advantaged portfolios—a strategy we call “consolidation.” Analyzing Health and Retirement Study data and using smoking as a measure of health, we show that couples match on both educational and health statuses at the start of marriage, and this systematic pattern of matching intensifies over time. We find that matching on smoking is not simply a byproduct of educational homogamy, and that matching on smoking/non-smoking status has increased over time. Moreover, couples increasingly sort on education and health jointly, such that highly educated couples are even more likely to be nonsmoking than would be expected by matching on education or smoking status alone. Increasing educational inequalities in quitting smoking between marriage and first birth reinforce this consolidation process. Using Current Population Surveys, we find these patterns are stronger in marriages than in cohabitations. The consolidation of education and health in couples is an important mechanism that amplifies inequality in families and, potentially, across generations.
Virtual Reality after Surgery—A Method to Decrease Pain After Surgery in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Specht Brian J. , Buse Caroline R. , Phelps Janey R. , Phillips Michael R. , Chiavacci Sarah D. , Harrell Lauren E. , Nelson Jacob M. , Poulos Katherine E. , Li Quefeng , Liu Yutong , Lupa Maria C.
Published: July 2021

Background

Virtual Reality (VR) is used as an effective tool for distraction and as an adjunct for pain management. This study was conducted to compare VR to standard iPad use after surgery and examine its effect on pain score and opioid consumption.

Methods

This was a randomized controlled study, with stratification by surgery type, age group (7-12yo, 13-18yo) and gender. Pain and anxiety were assessed with validated scales (STAI, FACES, VAS, FLACC) and outcomes were compared between each group.

Results

50 of the 106 enrolled patients used the VR device. After adjusting for age, gender, and STAI, patients had a decreased FLACC score while using the VR device compared to the iPad group (odds ratio 2.95, P = .021). The younger patients were found to have lower FLACC scores while using the VR device (odds ratio 1.15, p=0.044); this finding was most significant when patients used the VR device for 20-30 minutes (odds ratio 1.67, P = .0003). Additionally, after adjusting for treatment group, gender, and STAI, the younger patients had higher odds of withdrawal or exclusion from the study (odds ratio 1.18, P = .021). No significant difference in opioid consumption between the groups was found.

Discussion

Virtual reality was well tolerated and more effective in decreasing pain during the immediate postoperative period than iPad use. Despite a slightly higher withdrawal rate, younger patients benefited more from the intervention.
Anisotropy magnetoresistance differential probe for characterization of sub-millimeter surface defects on galvanized steel plate
Authors: Nadzri Nurul A’in , Saari Mohd Mawardi , Zaini Mohd Aufa Hadi Putera , Halil Aiman Mohd , Ishak Mahadzir , Tsukada Keiji
Published: July 2021

Defects such as cracks can cause dangerous damage to the metal structure and may lead to structural collapses. Cracks can exist in various shapes and sizes where they can start to develop from small scale lower than 1 mm and spread to contribute to the complete fracture of components. Hence, early discovery and monitoring of any cracks in their early stage are crucial to prevent any sudden fatal accidents in the future. This work presents the study and detailed analysis of an ECT probe’s development based on AMR sensors to identify sub-millimeter surface cracks in galvanized steel plates. The probe consists of an excitation coil that induces an eddy current in sample plates and two AMR sensors that detect the differential eddy current-induced magnetic response. A phase-sensitive detection technique with a lock-in amplifier is used to evaluate the magnetic field distribution detected by the AMR sensors. The measured magnetic responses are classified to the depth, width, length, and complex shapes of artificial slits, and the probe is used to perform line scans and 2-D map scans above the slits’ positions. The probe was able to characterize slits with a depth and width as low as 210 and 50 µm, respectively, by using an excitation current of 4 mA at 1 kHz. The slit orientations that were perpendicular to the differential direction of the AMR sensors were clearly visualized, with their estimated lengths showed a good correlation with the physical slit lengths. In the future, the developed system can be expected to help towards the development of a more sophisticated crack detection system where real-time inspections can be realized and applied in various fields.