bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collective and Individual Social Capital and the Impact on Incubator Tenants’ Graduation
Authors: Zhang Li , Shih Tommy
Published: March 2022

Incubator tenants usually lack established business relationships and legitimacy. Incubators, therefore, aim to aid tenants in forming meaningful relationships that will contribute to their development. The literature on incubator tenants, including their development, naturally focuses naturally on when they are in an incubator. Valuable insights have been made on how network-based incubation influences the performance of tenants. However, the relationship between networks and performance is ambiguous, and the choice of measure plays an important role. Gradation is a clear indicator of venture development in an incubator. Nonetheless, few studies have focused on the impact of tenants’ relationships on graduation. This study focuses on the impact of social capital on the graduation of incubator tenants. It explores how tenants’ relationships impact their graduation by investigating the collective and individual social capital of tenants. A structural equation model was employed to study the impact of social capital on graduation based on data from incubators in the Wuhan Donghu High-Tech Zone. This study’s contributions are as follows: first, it provides insights into the impact of bonding and bridging social capital on tenants’ graduation. Second, it sheds light on the different roles of the collective social capital of incubators and individual social capital of tenants and their contributions to tenants’ graduation. Third, it provides a description of the heterogeneous mechanisms of individual social capital of tenants and their association with graduation.
The Role of Angiotensin II in Poisoning-Induced Shock—a Review
Authors: Chen Andrew , Wong Anselm
Published: March 2022

Background

Shock in drug poisoning is a life-threatening condition and current management involves fluid resuscitation and vasopressor therapy. Management is limited by the toxicity of high-dose vasopressors such as catecholamines. Clinical trials have shown the efficacy of angiotensin II as an adjunct vasopressor in septic shock. The aim of this review is to assess the use of angiotensin II in patients with shock secondary to drug overdose.

Methods

Medline (from 1946), Embase (from 1947) and PubMed (from 1946) databases were searched until July 2021 via OVID. Included studies were those with shock due to drug poisoning and received angiotensin II as part of their treatment regimen. Of the 481 articles identified, 13 studies (case reports and scientific abstracts) were included in the final analysis with a total of 14 patients. Extracted data included demographics, overdose drug and dosage, angiotensin II dosage, time of angiotensin II administration, haemodynamic changes, length of hospital stay, mortality, complications, cardiac function and other treatment agents used.

Results

Thirteen studies were included consisting of 6 case reports, 6 scientific abstracts and 1 case series. Overdose drugs included antihypertensives (n = 8), psychotropics (n = 4), isopropanol (n = 1) and tamsulosin (n = 1). Out of a total of 14 patients, 3 patients died. Ten patients had their haemodynamic changes reported. In terms of MAP or SBP changes, three patients (30%) had an immediate response to angiotensin II, four patients (40%) had responses within 30 min, one patient (10%) within two hours and two patients (20%) did not have their time reported. Two patients were shown to have direct chronotropic effects within 30 min of angiotensin II administration. The median hospital stay for patients was 5 days (IQR = 4). The time from overdose until angiotensin II administration ranged from 5 to 56 h. Other vasopressors used included phenylephrine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, vasopressin, dobutamine, dopamine, methylene blue and ephedrine. A median of 3 vasopressors were used before initiation of angiotensin II. Twelve patients received angiotensin II as their final treatment.

Conclusions

Angiotensin II may be useful as an adjunct vasopressor in treating shock secondary to drug poisoning. However, the current literature consisted of only very low-quality studies. To truly assess the utility of angiotensin II use in drug-induced poisoned patients, further well-designed prospective studies are required.
Should we regulate Artificial Intelligence or some uses of software?
Authors: Ellul Joshua
Published: March 2022

Artificial Intelligence regulatory developments have been ever-increasing in both academia as well as within policy and governmental settings. Whilst extensive literature has been published on the topic of how such regulation should be developed, the question as to whether such regulation should be AI-specific or focused on software in general remains unexplored. In this commentary paper this question is explored and after arguments for whether regulation should be technology-specific or be focused on the use of technology are provided.
Locations of interior transition layers to inhomogeneous transition problems in higher -dimensional domains
Authors: Du Zhuoran
Published: March 2022

We consider the following inhomogeneous problems
\[ \begin{cases} \epsilon^{2}\mbox{div}(a(x)\nabla u(x))+f(x,u)=0 & \text{ in }\Omega,\\ \frac{\partial u}{\partial \nu}=0 & \text{ on }\partial \Omega,\\ \end{cases} \]where $\Omega$ is a smooth and bounded domain in general dimensional space $\mathbb {R}^{N}$, $\epsilon >0$ is a small parameter and function $a$ is positive. We respectively obtain the locations of interior transition layers of the solutions of the above transition problems that are $L^{1}$-local minimizer and global minimizer of the associated energy functional.
Cut-off points in the waist:height ratio for the prediction of insulin resistance, second stage of sexual maturation in Brazilian adolescents
Authors: Lins Pamela Rodrigues Martins , Arruda Neta Adélia da Costa Pereira de , Vianna Rodrigo Pinheiro de Toledo
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study was verify the best waist:height ratio (WHtR) cut-off points for the prediction of insulin resistance (IR) according to stage of sexual maturation in Brazilian adolescents. Data were analysed from 37 759 adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age, of both sexes, participating in the ERICA study on cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents (‘Estudo de Riscos Cardiovasculares em Adolescentes– ERICA’). The following variables were included sex, age and sexual maturity according to the Tanner stage, waist circumference, height, WHtR, fasting insulin and fasting blood sugar so as to obtain the homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). We constructed an Receiver Operating characteristic (ROC) curve for each group in order to determine the best WHtR cut-off points for the sample stratified by sex and stratified by sex and sexual maturation stage. The female sex corresponded to 60% of the sample, with a mean age of 14·7 years (sd± 0·08 years) and 13·1 % had IR. The prediction of IR through the WHtR indicator was better for boys, where all the areas under the ROC curve were superior to 0·70. When stratifying by sex alone, the best WHtR cut-off points found were equal to 0·45 for girls and 0·44 for boys. When stratifying by Tanner maturation stages, the cut-off points were reduced with advancing sexual maturation in the male group, while the opposite occurred in the female group. Among Brazilian adolescents, WHtR is a good predictor of IR evaluated by HOMA-IR, but different cut-off points should be adopted according to sex and sexual maturation stage.
Improved resilience following digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia protects against insomnia and depression one year later
Authors: Cheng Philip , Kalmbach David A. , Hsieh Hsing-Fang , Castelan Andrea Cuamatzi , Sagong Chaewon , Drake Christopher L.
Published: March 2022

Background

While the negative consequences of insomnia are well-documented, a strengths-based understanding of how sleep can increase health promotion is still emerging and much-needed. Correlational evidence has connected sleep and insomnia to resilience; however, this relationship has not yet been experimentally tested. This study examined resilience as a mediator of treatment outcomes in a randomized clinical trial with insomnia patients.

Methods

Participants were randomized to either digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (dCBT-I; n = 358) or sleep education control (n = 300), and assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 1-year follow-up. A structural equation modeling framework was utilized to test resilience as a mediator of insomnia and depression. Risk for insomnia and depression was also tested in the model, operationalized as a latent factor with sleep reactivity, stress, and rumination as indicators (aligned with the 3-P model). Sensitivity analyses tested the impact of change in resilience on the insomnia relapse and incident depression at 1-year follow-up.

Results

dCBT-I resulted in greater improvements in resilience compared to the sleep education control. Furthermore, improved resilience following dCBT-I lowered latent risk, which was further associated with reduced insomnia and depression at 1-year follow-up. Sensitivity analyses indicated that each point improvement in resilience following treatment reduced the odds of insomnia relapse and incident depression 1 year later by 76% and 65%, respectively.

Conclusions

Improved resilience is likely a contributing mechanism to treatment gains following insomnia therapy, which may then reduce longer-term risk for insomnia relapse and depression.
-graded identities of the Lie algebras in characteristic 2
Authors: FIDELIS CLAUDEMIR , KOSHLUKOV PLAMEN
Published: March 2022

LetKbe any field of characteristic two and let$U_1$and$W_1$be the Lie algebras of the derivations of the algebra of Laurent polynomials$K[t,t^{-1}]$and of the polynomial ringK[t], respectively. The algebras$U_1$and$W_1$are equipped with natural$\mathbb{Z}$-gradings. In this paper, we provide bases for the graded identities of$U_1$and$W_1$, and we prove that they do not admit any finite basis.
Experience and Appreciation of Health Care Teams Regarding a New Model of Pharmaceutical Care in Long-Term Care Settings
Authors: Turcotte Véronique , Kröger Edeltraut , Rouleau Rachel , Durand Étienne , Poirier Karine , Guénette Line
Published: March 2022

In long-term care (LTC) homes, the management of frail older residents’ pharmacotherapy may be challenging for health care teams. A new pharmaceutical care model highlighting the recently expanded scope of pharmacists’ practice in Quebec, Canada, was implemented in two LTC homes. This study aimed to evaluate health care providers’ experience and satisfaction with this new practice model. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were performed and analyzed thematically. Positive results of the model have been identified, such as increased timeliness of interventions. Barriers were encountered, such as lack of clarity regarding roles, and suboptimal communication. The increased involvement of pharmacists was perceived as useful in the context of scarce medical resources. Although requiring time and adjustments from health care teams, the new model seems to contribute to the health care providers’ work satisfaction and to positively influence the timeliness and quality of care offered to LTC residents.
Testing the empirical integration of threat-deprivation and harshness-unpredictability dimensional models of adversity
Authors: Usacheva Maria , Choe Daniel , Liu Siwei , Timmer Susan , Belsky Jay
Published: March 2022

Recent dimensional models of adversity informed by a neurobiological deficit framework highlights threat and deprivation as core dimensions, whereas models informed by an evolutionary, adaptational and functional framework calls attention to harshness and unpredictability. This report seeks to evaluate an integrative model of threat, deprivation, and unpredictability, drawing on the Fragile Families Study. Confirmatory factor analysis of presumed multiple indicators of each construct reveals an adequate three-factor structure of adversity. Theory-based targeted predictions of the developmental sequelae of each dimension also received empirical support, with deprivation linked to health problems and cognitive ability; threat linked to aggression; and unpredictability to substance use and sexual risk-taking. These findings lend credibility to utility of the three-dimensional integrative framework of adversity. It could thus inform development of dimensional measures of risk assessment and exploration of multidimensional adversity profiles, sensitive to individual differences in lived experiences, supporting patient-centered, strength-based approaches to services.
Women's Substantive Representation in the Islamic Republic of Iran: The Potential of Women Critical Actors
Authors: Tajali Mona
Published: March 2022

This article analyzes women's substantive representation in Iran to highlight the opportunities and obstacles facing women critical actors when a critical mass of women in politics is absent. Through a case study of progressive women policy makers of the Hassan Rouhani era, this research demonstrates that despite an undemocratic political context dominated by conservative gender mandates, the presence of three interrelated factors contribute to the rise of women critical actors in Iranian formal politics: electoral support and grassroots mobilization around women's rights, willingness of elites to adopt measures toward greater inclusion of women in politics, and occasional openings in Iran's fragmented political context that facilitate the nomination and election of women who are likely to advocate for women's rights. However, the absence of these conditions, as observed during the 2020 parliamentary elections, leads to the marginalization of such critical actors, resulting in limited attention to women's rights in key institutions.
DNA methylation mediates a randomized controlled trial home-visiting intervention during pregnancy and the Bayley infant’s cognitive scores at 12 months of age
Authors: Euclydes Verônica L. V. , Gastaldi Vinicius D. , Feltrin Arthur S. , Hoffman Daniel J. , Gouveia Gisele , Cogo Hugo , Felipe-Silva Aloísio , Vieira Rossana P. , Miguel Eurípedes C. , Polanczyk Guilherme V. , Chiesa Anna , Fracolli Lislaine , Matijasevich Alicia , Ferraro Alexandre , Argeu Adriana , Maschietto Mariana , Brentani Helena P.
Published: March 2022

The crosstalk between maternal stress exposure and fetal development may be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm). To address this matter, we collect 32 cord blood samples from low-income Brazilian pregnant adolescents participants of a pilot randomized clinical intervention study (ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT02807818). We hypothesized that the association between the intervention and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months of age would be mediated by DNAm. First, we searched genome methylation differences between cases and controls using different approaches, as well as differences in age acceleration (AA), represented by the difference of methylation age and birth age. According to an adjustedp-value ≤ 0.05 we identified 3090 differentially methylated positions- CpG sites (DMPs), 21 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and one comethylated module weakly preserved between groups. The intervention group presented a smaller AA compared to the control group (p= 0.025). A logistic regression controlled by sex and with gestational age indicated a coefficient of −0.35 towards intervention group (p= 0.016) considering AA. A higher cognitive domain score from Bayley III scale was observed in the intervention group at 12 months of age. Then, we performed a potential causal mediation analysis selecting only DMPs highly associated with the cognitive domain (adj.R2> 0.4), DMRs and CpGs of hub genes from the weakly preserved comethylated module and epigenetic clock as raw values. DMPs inSTXBP6, andPF4DMR, mediated the association between the maternal intervention and the cognitive domain at 12 months of age. In conclusion, DNAm in different sites and regions mediated the association between intervention and cognitive outcome.
Fixed Attributes and Discounting Behavior
Authors: Cao Qiongwen , Hofmeyr Andre , Hsu Eustace , Luo Shan , Monterosso John
Published: March 2022

Abstract. Delay discounting tasks present alternatives that differ in two attributes: amount and delay. Typically, choice is modeled by application of a discount function to each option, allowing alternative-wise comparison. However, if participants make decisions by comparing attributes, manipulations that affect the salience of either attribute may affect patience. In Experiment 1, participants completed one block of trials in which amount was a fixed attribute (constant across trials), and another in which delay was fixed. Consistent with the hypothesis that the varying attribute would be more salient, participants exhibited less patience in the amount-fixed condition. Moreover, this effect was larger for participants who responded more quickly when making choices that favored the varying attribute. In Experiment 2, these findings were extended by adding trial blocks with a working memory dual task. We replicated the fixed-attribute effect, along with the aforementioned association with reaction time. Contrary to expectation, the fixed-attribute effect was not larger when participants were under working memory load. Instead, working memory load was associated with more patient responses, which may be related to idiosyncrasies of the task including the absence of immediate rewards. Overall, results suggest a fixed-attribute effect on patience, which is consistent with a multi-attribute decision framework.
Multitechnique Geochronology of Intrusive and Explosive Activity on Piton des Neiges Volcano, Réunion Island
Authors: Famin Vincent , Paquez Camille , Danišík Martin , Gardiner Nicholas J. , Michon Laurent , Kirkland Christopher L. , Berthod Carole , Friedrichs Bjarne , Schmitt Axel K. , Monié Patrick
Published: March 2022

The construction of ocean island basaltic volcanoes consists of a succession of eruptions, intrusions, and metamorphism. These events are often temporally ill‐constrained because the most widely used radiometric dating methods applicable to mafic volcanic rocks (K‐Ar or40Ar/39Ar on whole rock or groundmass) are prone to inaccuracy when applied to slowly cooled, altered, or vesicular and aphyric products. Here, we adopt a multitechnique geochronology approach (including zircon U‐Pb, phlogopite40Ar/39Ar, zircon and apatite (U‐Th)/He, and zircon double‐dating) to demonstrate its efficacy when applied to basaltic volcanoes. Taking the main volcano of Réunion Island (Piton des Neiges) as a case study, we establish the time of the major plutonic, metamorphic, and explosive events that had resisted previous dating attempts. We document four stages of pluton emplacement and metamorphism at 2,200–2,000 ka, 1,414 ± 8 ka, 665 ± 78 ka, and 150–110 ka, all coinciding with volcanism revival after quiescent intervals. We also date a major Plinian eruption at 188.2 ± 10.4 ka, coeval with the formation age of a large caldera, and, finally, we constrain the last eruption of Piton des Neiges to 27 ka, revising a previous estimate of 12 ka. By resolving several conundrums of Réunion's geological history, our multitechnique geochronology approach reveals that endogenous growth of a volcanic island proceeds as pulses at the beginning of renewed volcanism. We also demonstrate that crosschecking eruptions ages by diversified dating techniques is important to better assess the timing and recurrence of basaltic volcanic activity, with implications for hazard prediction.
Oceanic and Atmospheric Drivers of Post‐El‐Niño Chlorophyll Rebound in the Equatorial Pacific
Authors: Lim Hyung‐Gyu , Dunne John P. , Stock Charles A. , Ginoux Paul , John Jasmin G. , Krasting John
Published: March 2022

The El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strongly influences phytoplankton in the tropical Pacific, with El Niño conditions suppressing productivity in the equatorial Pacific (EP) and placing nutritional stresses on marine ecosystems. The Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory's (GFDL) Earth System Model version 4.1 (ESM4.1) captures observed ENSO‐chlorophyll patterns (r = 0.57) much better than GFDL's previous ESM2M (r = 0.23). Most notably, the observed post‐El Niño “chlorophyll rebound” is substantially improved in ESM4.1 (r = 0.52). We find that an anomalous increase in iron propagation from western Pacific (WP) subsurface to the cold tongue via the equatorial undercurrent (EUC) and subsequent post‐El Niño surfacing, unresolved in ESM2M, is the primary driver of chlorophyll rebound. We also find that this chlorophyll rebound is augmented by high post‐El Niño dust‐iron deposition anomalies in the eastern EP. This post‐El Niño chlorophyll rebound provides a previously unrecognized source of marine ecosystem resilience independent from the La Niña that sometimes follows.
Anisotropic Tomography and Dynamics of the Big Mantle Wedge
Authors: Liang Xuran , Zhao Dapeng , Xu Yi‐Gang , Hua Yuanyuan
Published: March 2022

We determine high‐resolution 3‐D tomographic images of P‐wave isotropic velocity, radial anisotropy and azimuthal anisotropy beneath NE Asia down to 800 km depth. Our results show negative radial anisotropy (i.e., Vhorizontal < Vvertical) in the asthenosphere of the big mantle wedge (BMW), which may reflect mineral alignment caused by vertical flow in the asthenosphere. Across the Tanlu fault zone (TLF), the western and eastern parts of the BMW exhibit high and low P‐wave velocities, respectively. Combining our tomographic results with surface geological features, we speculate that convection in the BMW includes upwelling asthenosphere beneath the Japan Sea and the Korean Peninsula and downwelling asthenosphere beneath the Songliao and North China basins. The downwelling asthenosphere beneath the two basins is associated with diminishing volcanism and anomalous tectonic subsidence since ∼110 Ma. The great TLF is an important boundary for the BMW structure and dynamics.
Fast Magnetosonic Waves in a Dipolarizing Flux Bundle Inside the Geosynchronous Orbit
Authors: Yu Xiongdong , Yuan Zhigang , Huang Shiyong , Xue Zuxiang , Huang Zheng
Published: March 2022

Although commonly observed in the inner magnetosphere, fast magnetosonic (MS) waves are often owe to be excited by those proton rings resulting from the so‐called energy‐dependent drift path of ring current protons. In this letter, we report an interesting MS wave event in a dipolarizing flux bundle (DFB) observed by the Van Allen Probe A. In the DFB, perpendicular proton fluxes are found depleted at low and intermediate energies, while enhanced at high energies, which should be attributed to proton accelerations by DFB. As a result, proton ring could be locally formed. Using the observed plasma environment parameters and the modeled proton distributions, we have calculated the linear growth rates for MS waves and found that these MS waves might be locally excited. Our results provide insight into the generation of MS waves in a DFB, and provide a new channel to excite MS waves in the inner magnetosphere.
The association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein with future weight gain in adults
Authors: Santa-Paavola Riina , Lehtinen-Jacks Susanna , Jääskeläinen Tuija , Männistö Satu , Lundqvist Annamari
Published: March 2022

Background

Obesity is associated with low-grade systemic inflammation, and it has been suggested that increased inflammation markers could predict future weight gain. Our aim was to investigate the associations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentration with changes in weight and waist circumference in adults during 11 years of follow-up.

Methods

We used data from the Health 2000 and Health 2011 surveys consisting of a population-based sample of Finnish adults. We included those 3143 participants, aged 30–75 years at baseline, whose baseline hs-CRP was measured, and who had information on measured weight and height at both time points. Associations between baseline hs-CRP and changes in weight and waist circumference were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for sociodemographic factors (age, sex, marital status, and educational status), lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, leisure-time physical activity, sitting time, sleeping time, and psychological distress), and baseline values of BMI and waist circumference.

Results

Hs-CRP was not associated with weight gain (≥5%) when adjusted for potential confounders (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.96–1.01), compared to stable weight (change <±5%). Higher baseline hs-CRP was associated with decrease in weight (≤−5%) in the unadjusted (OR 1.03, 1.01–1.05), but not in the adjusted (OR 1.01, 0.99–1.03) model. No association was observed between hs-CRP and waist circumference.

Conclusions

Hs-CRP was not associated with future changes in weight or waist circumference in adults. These findings suggest that hs-CRP concentration does not predict future weight gain.
Fossil coleoid cephalopod from the Mississippian Bear Gulch Lagerstätte sheds light on early vampyropod evolution
Authors: Whalen Christopher D. , Landman Neil H.
Published: March 2022

We describe an exceptionally well-preserved vampyropod, Syllipsimopodi bideni gen. et sp. nov., from the Carboniferous (Mississippian) Bear Gulch Lagerstätte of Montana, USA. The specimen possesses a gladius and ten robust arms bearing biserial rows of suckers; it is the only known vampyropod to retain the ancestral ten-arm condition. Syllipsimopodi is the oldest definitive vampyropod and crown coleoid, pushing back the fossil record of this group by ~81.9 million years, corroborating molecular clock estimates. Using a Bayesian tip-dated phylogeny of fossil neocoleoid cephalopods, we demonstrate that Syllipsimopodi is the earliest-diverging known vampyropod. This strongly challenges the common hypothesis that vampyropods descended from a Triassic phragmoteuthid belemnoid. As early as the Mississippian, vampyropods were evidently characterized by the loss of the chambered phragmocone and primordial rostrum—traits retained in belemnoids and many extant decabrachians. A pair of arms may have been elongated, which when combined with the long gladius and terminal fins, indicates that the morphology of the earliest vampyropods superficially resembled extant squids.
Shared computational principles for language processing in humans and deep language models
Authors: Goldstein Ariel , Zada Zaid , Buchnik Eliav , Schain Mariano , Price Amy , Aubrey Bobbi , Nastase Samuel A. , Feder Amir , Emanuel Dotan , Cohen Alon , Jansen Aren , Gazula Harshvardhan , Choe Gina , Rao Aditi , Kim Catherine , Casto Colton , Fanda Lora , Doyle Werner , Friedman Daniel , Dugan Patricia , Melloni Lucia , Reichart Roi , Devore Sasha , Flinker Adeen , Hasenfratz Liat , Levy Omer , Hassidim Avinatan , Brenner Michael , Matias Yossi , Norman Kenneth A. , Devinsky Orrin , Hasson Uri
Published: March 2022

Departing from traditional linguistic models, advances in deep learning have resulted in a new type of predictive (autoregressive) deep language models (DLMs). Using a self-supervised next-word prediction task, these models generate appropriate linguistic responses in a given context. In the current study, nine participants listened to a 30-min podcast while their brain responses were recorded using electrocorticography (ECoG). We provide empirical evidence that the human brain and autoregressive DLMs share three fundamental computational principles as they process the same natural narrative: (1) both are engaged in continuous next-word prediction before word onset; (2) both match their pre-onset predictions to the incoming word to calculate post-onset surprise; (3) both rely on contextual embeddings to represent words in natural contexts. Together, our findings suggest that autoregressive DLMs provide a new and biologically feasible computational framework for studying the neural basis of language.
New insights on commemoration of the dead through mortuary and architectural use of pigments at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey
Authors: Schotsmans E. M. J. , Busacca G. , Lin S. C. , Vasić M. , Lingle A. M. , Veropoulidou R. , Mazzucato C. , Tibbetts B. , Haddow S. D. , Somel M. , Toksoy-Köksal F. , Knüsel C. J. , Milella M.
Published: March 2022

The cultural use of pigments in human societies is associated with ritual activities and the creation of social memory. Neolithic Çatalhöyük (Turkey, 7100–5950 cal BC) provides a unique case study for the exploration of links between pigments in burials, demographic data and colourants in contemporary architectural contexts. This study presents the first combined analysis of funerary and architectural evidence of pigment use in Neolithic Anatolia and discusses the possible social processes underlying the observed statistical patterns. Results reveal that pigments were either applied directly to the deceased or included in the grave as a burial association. The most commonly used pigment was red ochre. Cinnabar was mainly applied to males and blue/green pigment was associated with females. A correlation was found between the number of buried individuals and the number of painted layers in the buildings. Mortuary practices seem to have followed specific selection processes independent of sex and age-at-death of the deceased. This study offers new insights about the social factors involved in pigment use in this community, and contributes to the interpretation of funerary practices in Neolithic Anatolia. Specifically, it suggests that visual expression, ritual performance and symbolic associations were elements of shared long-term socio-cultural practices.
Multipoint monitoring of amplitude, frequency, and phase of vibrations using concatenated modal interferometers
Authors: Chatterjee Kalipada , Arumuru Venugopal , Patil Dhananjay , Jha Rajan
Published: March 2022

Concatenated modal interferometers-based multipoint monitoring system for detection of amplitude, frequency, and phase of mechanical vibrations is proposed and demonstrated. The sensor probes are fabricated using identical photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sections and integrated along a single fiber channel to act as a compact and efficient sensing system. Each identical probe acts as a modal interferometer to generate a stable interference spectrum over the source spectrum. In the presence of an external dynamic field about each probe, the probes respond independently, producing a resultant signal superposition of each interferometer response signal. By analyzing the resultant signals using computational techniques, the vibration parameters applied to each interferometer are realized. The sensing system has an operation range of 1 Hz-1 kHz with a sensitivity of 51.5 pm/V. Such a sensing system would find wide applications at industrial, infrastructural, and medical fronts for monitoring various dynamic physical phenomena.
Photonic reinforcement learning based on optoelectronic reservoir computing
Authors: Kanno Kazutaka , Uchida Atsushi
Published: March 2022

Reinforcement learning has been intensively investigated and developed in artificial intelligence in the absence of training data, such as autonomous driving vehicles, robot control, internet advertising, and elastic optical networks. However, the computational cost of reinforcement learning with deep neural networks is extremely high and reducing the learning cost is a challenging issue. We propose a photonic on-line implementation of reinforcement learning using optoelectronic delay-based reservoir computing, both experimentally and numerically. In the proposed scheme, we accelerate reinforcement learning at a rate of several megahertz because there is no required learning process for the internal connection weights in reservoir computing. We perform two benchmark tasks, CartPole-v0 and MountanCar-v0 tasks, to evaluate the proposed scheme. Our results represent the first hardware implementation of reinforcement learning based on photonic reservoir computing and pave the way for fast and efficient reinforcement learning as a novel photonic accelerator.
Impact of silk hydrogel secondary structure on hydrogel formation, silk leaching and in vitro response
Authors: Egan Gemma , Phuagkhaopong Suttinee , Matthew Saphia A. L. , Connolly Patricia , Seib F. Philipp
Published: March 2022

Silk can be processed into a broad spectrum of material formats and is explored for a wide range of medical applications, including hydrogels for wound care. The current paradigm is that solution-stable silk fibroin in the hydrogels is responsible for their therapeutic response in wound healing. Here, we generated physically cross-linked silk fibroin hydrogels with tuned secondary structure and examined their ability to influence their biological response by leaching silk fibroin. Significantly more silk fibroin leached from hydrogels with an amorphous silk fibroin structure than with a beta sheet-rich silk fibroin structure, although all hydrogels leached silk fibroin. The leached silk was biologically active, as it induced vitro chemokinesis and faster scratch assay wound healing by activating receptor tyrosine kinases. Overall, these effects are desirable for wound management and show the promise of silk fibroin and hydrogel leaching in the wider healthcare setting.
Precision MRI phenotyping enables detection of small changes in body composition for longitudinal cohorts
Authors: Whitcher Brandon , Thanaj Marjola , Cule Madeleine , Liu Yi , Basty Nicolas , Sorokin Elena P. , Bell Jimmy D. , Thomas E. Louise
Published: March 2022

Longitudinal studies provide unique insights into the impact of environmental factors and lifespan issues on health and disease. Here we investigate changes in body composition in 3088 free-living participants, part of the UK Biobank in-depth imaging study. All participants underwent neck-to-knee MRI scans at the first imaging visit and after approximately two years (second imaging visit). Image-derived phenotypes for each participant were extracted using a fully-automated image processing pipeline, including volumes of several tissues and organs: liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, total skeletal muscle, iliopsoas muscle, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, as well as fat and iron content in liver, pancreas and spleen. Overall, no significant changes were observed in BMI, body weight, or waist circumference over the scanning interval, despite some large individual changes. A significant decrease in grip strength was observed, coupled to small, but statistically significant, decrease in all skeletal muscle measurements. Significant increases in VAT and intermuscular fat in the thighs were also detected in the absence of changes in BMI, waist circumference and ectopic-fat deposition. Adjusting for disease status at the first imaging visit did not have an additional impact on the changes observed. In summary, we show that even after a relatively short period of time significant changes in body composition can take place, probably reflecting the obesogenic environment currently inhabited by most of the general population in the United Kingdom.
The influence of ergodicity on risk affinity of timed and non-timed respondents
Authors: Vanhoyweghen Arne , Verbeken Brecht , Macharis Cathy , Ginis Vincent
Published: March 2022

Expected values are the metric most often used to judge human decision-making; when humans make decisions that do not optimize expected values, these decisions are considered irrational. However, while convenient, expected values do not necessarily describe the evolution of an individual after making a series of decisions. This dichotomy lies at the core of ergodicity breaking, where the expected value (ensemble average) differs from the temporal average of one individual. In this paper, we explore whether the intuition behind human decision-making optimizes for expected values or instead takes time growth rates into account. We do this using several stated choice experiments, where participants choose between two stochastic bets and try to optimize their capital. To evaluate the intuitive choice, we compare two groups, with and without perceived time pressure. We find a significant difference between the responses of the timed and the control group, depending on the dynamic of the choices. In an additive dynamic, where ergodicity is not broken, we observe no effect of time pressure on the decisions. In the non-ergodic, multiplicative setting, we find a significant difference between the two groups. The group that chooses under time pressure is more likely to make the choice that optimizes the experiment’s growth rate. The results of this experiment contradict the idea that people are irrational decision-makers when they do not optimize their expected value. The intuitive decisions deviate more from the expected value optimum in the non-ergodic part of our experiment and lead to more optimal decisions.
Genetic characteristics of 234 Italian patients with macular and cone/cone-rod dystrophy
Authors: Falsini Benedetto , Placidi Giorgio , De Siena Elisa , Chiurazzi Pietro , Minnella Angelo Maria , Savastano Maria Cristina , Ziccardi Lucia , Parisi Vincenzo , Iarossi Giancarlo , Percio Marcella , Piteková Barbora , Marceddu Giuseppe , Maltese Paolo Enrico , Bertelli Matteo
Published: March 2022

Two-hundred and thirty-four Italian patients with a clinical diagnosis of macular, cone and cone-rod dystrophies (MD, CD, and CRD) were examined using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and gene sequencing panels targeting a specific set of genes, Sanger sequencing and—when necessary—multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) to diagnose the molecular cause of the aforementioned diseases. When possible, segregation analysis was performed in order to confirm unsolved cases. Each patient’s retinal phenotypic characteristics were determined using focal and full-field ERGs, perimetry, spectral domain optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence. We identified 236 potentially causative variants in 136 patients representing the 58.1% of the total cohort, 43 of which were unpublished. After stratifying the patients according to their clinical suspicion, the diagnostic yield was 62.5% and 53.8% for patients with MD and for those with CD/CRD, respectively. The mode of inheritance of all cases confirmed by genetic analysis was 70% autosomal recessive, 26% dominant, and 4% X-linked. The main cause (59%) of both MD and CD/CRD cases was the presence of variants in the ABCA4 gene, followed by variants in PRPH2 (9%) and BEST1 (6%). A careful morpho-functional evaluation of the phenotype, together with genetic counselling, resulted in an acceptable diagnostic yield in a large cohort of Italian patients. Our study emphasizes the role of targeted NGS to diagnose MDs, CDs, and CRDs, as well as the clinical usefulness of segregation analysis for patients with unsolved diagnosis.
Lumped circuit model for inductive antenna spin-wave transducers
Authors: Vanderveken Frederic , Tyberkevych Vasyl , Talmelli Giacomo , Sorée Bart , Ciubotaru Florin , Adelmann Christoph
Published: March 2022

We derive a lumped circuit model for inductive antenna spin-wave transducers in the vicinity of a ferromagnetic medium. The model considers the antenna’s Ohmic resistance, its inductance, as well as the additional inductance due to the excitation of ferromagnetic resonance or spin waves in the ferromagnetic medium. As an example, the additional inductance is discussed for a wire antenna on top of a ferromagnetic waveguide, a structure that is characteristic for many magnonic devices and experiments. The model is used to assess the scaling properties and the energy efficiency of inductive antennas. Issues related to scaling antenna transducers to the nanoscale and possible solutions are also addressed.
YB1 associates with oncogenetic roles and poor prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Zhan Yuting , Chen Xianyong , Zheng Hongmei , Luo Jiadi , Yang Yang , Ning Yue , Wang Haihua , Zhang Yuting , Zhou Ming , Wang Weiyuan , Fan Songqing
Published: March 2022

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the malignant tumor arising from the nasopharynx epithelium with ethnic and geographical distribution preference. Y-box binding protein-1 (YB1) is the highly expressed DNA/RNA-binding protein with cold shock domain, and enhanced YB1 expression was proved to be associated with many kinds of malignant tumors. There is no systematic study about the regulation of YB1 and cell proliferation, migration, invasion and stress granules (SGs) in NPC, and the relationship between YB1 expression and clinical characteristics and prognosis of NPC patients. We analyzed the mRNA expression of YBX1 in head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC) and NPC in databases, investigated the functions of YB1 in cell proliferation, migration and invasion and SGs formation of NPC cells, and detected expression of YB1 protein in a large scale of NPC samples and analyzed their association with clinicopathological features and prognostic significance of NPC patients. YBX1 mRNA was significantly high expression in HNSC and NPC by bioinformatic analysis, and higher expression of YBX1 mRNA indicated poorer prognosis of HNSC patients. Clinically, the expression of YB1 in NPC tissues was significantly higher than these in the control nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues. We further found that the expression of YB1 had an evidently positive relation with advanced clinical stages of patients with NPC. The overall survival rates (OS) were significantly lower for NPC patients with positive expression of YB1. Multivariate analysis confirmed that positive expression of YB1 was the independent poorer prognostic factor for patients with NPC. Moreover, compared with the immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line (NP69), the basal level of YB1 in NPC cell lines was significantly higher. Knocking down YB1 may inhibit Akt/mTOR pathway in NPC cells. Knocking down YB1 by small interfering RNAs can reduce the ability of proliferation, migration, invasion and SGs formation of NPC cells. The expression of YB1 in NPC cell lines or patients with NPC was significantly higher. The high expression of YB1 protein may act as one valuable independent biomarker to predict poor prognosis for patients with NPC. Knocking down YB1 may release the malignant phenotype of NPC cells.
Vibrational spectroscopy to study ancient Roman funerary practices at the “Hypogeum of the Garlands” (Italy)
Authors: Festa G. , Rubini M. , Zaio P. , Gozzi A. , Libianchi N. , Parker S. F. , Romanelli G. , de Carvalho L. A. E. Batista , Marques M. P. M.
Published: March 2022

The “Hypogeum of the Garlands” is a sepulchral site, recently found in Grottaferrata (Lazio, Italy), dating back to the first-second century AD. Two sarcophagi were discovered inside, hosting the human remains of Aebutia Quarta, a rich Roman woman, and her son Carvilius Gemellus. While the body of Carvilius is exceptionally well-preserved, following its embalming and perfect sealing of the sarcophagus, in the case of Aebutia only the bones were preserved because of the sarcophagus’s seal breaking down, although she was covered with perfectly preserved flower garlands. Embalming of the body was a rare ritual in the Imperial Roman times when corpses were more often cremated. The remains of Aebutia showed possible traces of heating. Burned bones from a third individual were discovered on the chamber’s floor and preliminary anthropological survey showed that this individual was a male of 40–50 years old. Here, a combination of spectroscopic techniques, including non-destructive inelastic neutron scattering and Raman spectroscopy, and minimally destructive Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, were applied to the analysis of these bone samples to give information about ancient Roman funerary practices. The temperature and burning conditions were thus determined, showing that Aebutia Quarta was exposed to mild temperatures (200 °C) only in the upper part of the body, while the third individual was likely cremated as its bones were exposed to temperatures up to 900 °C in quasi-anaerobic conditions.
Anti-pulling force and displacement deformation analysis of the anchor pulling system of the new debris flow grille dam
Authors: Wang Yongsheng , Lv Baohong , Liu Jianshe , Zhang Xiaobin
Published: March 2022

To avoid waste from a large section space structure layout and deep burial, improve the structural strength and stability. Anchor technology is introduced, and combined with the advantages of the supporting wall, a new debris-flow grille dam is proposed. Starting from the force process and damage mechanism of the new debris-flow grille dam, the computation formula for the anti-pulling force and the total displacement is given. The anti-pulling force includes the sidewall frictional resistance of the anchor pier and the positive pressure of the front end face of the anchor pier. The total displacement includes three parts: the elastic deformation of the cable, the relative shear displacement between the anchor pier and the surrounding soil, and the compression deformation of the soil at the front of the anchor pier. Finally, the influence of soil parameters and anchor pier size on the anti-pulling force and displacement deformation of the anchor-pulling system is analyzed by examples, and the results are compared with the numerical results. The results show that the displacement deformation decreases gradually with increasing elastic modulus of the soil around the anchor pier and increases with increasing Poisson's ratio. The change in elastic modulus mainly affects the relative shear displacement of the anchor pier and soil and the compressive deformation of the soil at the front end of the anchor pier. Poisson's ratio has the greatest influence on the relative shear displacement of the anchor pier and soil. A larger anchor pier is not better; thus, it is wise to choose the economic design dimension. Theoretical and numerical simulation results are consistent, showing a linear growth trend. The results of this paper can further improve the theoretical calculation method of the new debris-flow grille dam, thus making it widely used in more debris flow control projects.
Predictions of cervical cancer identification by photonic method combined with machine learning
Authors: Kruczkowski Michał , Drabik-Kruczkowska Anna , Marciniak Anna , Tarczewska Martyna , Kosowska Monika , Szczerska Małgorzata
Published: March 2022

Cervical cancer is one of the most commonly appearing cancers, which early diagnosis is of greatest importance. Unfortunately, many diagnoses are based on subjective opinions of doctors—to date, there is no general measurement method with a calibrated standard. The problem can be solved with the measurement system being a fusion of an optoelectronic sensor and machine learning algorithm to provide reliable assistance for doctors in the early diagnosis stage of cervical cancer. We demonstrate the preliminary research on cervical cancer assessment utilizing an optical sensor and a prediction algorithm. Since each matter is characterized by refractive index, measuring its value and detecting changes give information about the state of the tissue. The optical measurements provided datasets for training and validating the analyzing software. We present data preprocessing, machine learning results utilizing four algorithms (Random Forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, Naïve Bayes, Convolutional Neural Networks) and assessment of their performance for classification of tissue as healthy or sick. Our solution allows for rapid sample measurement and automatic classification of the results constituting a potential support tool for doctors.