julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Why we need biased AI: How including cognitive biases can enhance AI systems
2023-02-13

This paper stresses the importance of biases in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). To foster efficient algorithmic decision-making in complex, unstable, and uncertain real-world environments, we argue for the implementation of human cognitive biases in learning algorithms. We use insights from cognitive science and apply them to the AI field, combining theoretical considerations with tangible examples depicting promising bias implementation scenarios. Ultimately, this paper is the first tentative step to explicitly putting the idea forth to implement cognitive biases into machines.
Basilar artery occlusion management: Specialist perspectives from an international survey
2023-02-13

Abstract Background and Purpose Two early basilar artery occlusion (BAO) randomized controlled trials did not establish the superiority of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) over medical management. While many providers continue to recommend EVT for acute BAO, perceptions of equipoise in randomizing patients with BAO to EVT versus medical management may differ between clinician specialties. Methods We conducted an international survey (January 18, 2022 to March 31, 2022) regarding management strategies in acute BAO prior to the announcement of two trials indicating the superiority of EVT, and compared responses between interventionalists (INTs) and non‐interventionalists (nINTs). Selection practices for routine EVT and perceptions of equipoise regarding randomizing to medical management based on neuroimaging and clinical features were compared between the two groups using descriptive statistics. Results Among the 1245 respondents (nINTs = 702), INTs more commonly believed that EVT was superior to medical management in acute BAO (98.5% vs. 95.1%, p &lt; .01). A similar proportion of INTs and nINTs responded that they would not randomize a patient with BAO to EVT (29.4% vs. 26.7%), or that they would only under specific clinical circumstances ( p = .45). Among respondents who would recommend EVT for BAO, there was no difference in the maximum prestroke disability, minimum stroke severity, or infarct burden on computed tomography between the two groups ( p &gt; .05), although nINTs more commonly preferred perfusion imaging (24.2% vs. 19.7%, p = .04). Among respondents who indicated they would randomize to medical management, INTs were more likely to randomize when the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was ≥10 (15.9% vs. 6.9%, p &lt; .01). Conclusions Following the publication of two neutral clinical trials in BAO EVT, most stroke providers believed EVT to be superior to medical management in carefully selected patients, with most indicating they would not randomize a BAO patient to medical treatment. There were small differences in preference for advanced neuroimaging for patient selection, although these preferences were unsupported by clinical trial data at the time of the survey.
Simultaneous Optical Trapping and Electromagnetic Micromanipulation of Ferromagnetically Doped NaYF4 Microparticles
2023-02-13

Optical trapping allows the trapping and manipulation of dielectric microparticles. However, full control over all six degrees of freedom of the trapped object is challenging. Here, we use ferromagnetic iron-doped upconversion microparticles for simultaneous optical trapping and magnetic micromanipulation that allows full control over all translational and rotational degrees of freedom. These microparticles have a low absorption that allows optical trapping and a high coercivity and saturation magnetization that allow magnetic manipulation. The particles will enable micromanipulation experiments, for example, in single-molecule biophysics.
Enhancing the effectiveness of virtual reality in science education through an experimental intervention involving students’ perceived usefulness of virtual reality.
2023-02-13

This study examined whether the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) in science education could be enhanced by providing students with relevant information about VR's usefulness before a virtual lesson. On the basis of expectancy–value theory, we manipulated students' perceived usefulness of VR by using video priming before presenting a virtual biology lesson. We then assessed how the intervention affected students' presence, interest in the virtual lesson, and learning achievement. Additionally, we tested the relationships between presence and learning outcomes. A sample of 196 students in Grade 10 was randomly assigned to a learning-usefulness condition, a daily-life-usefulness condition, or a control condition (no priming intervention) in VR. The results showed that students in both experimental conditions perceived VR as significantly more useful for learning and had greater learning achievement than those in the control condition. In addition, students in the daily-life-usefulness condition experienced less presence than those in the control condition, but there was no difference between the learning-usefulness condition and the control condition in this regard. However, the intervention had no effect on students' interest in the virtual biology lesson. Moreover, students in the two experimental conditions did not differ from each other on any of the outcomes we considered. Furthermore, the results revealed that students' presence was positively associated with their interest in the virtual lesson but was not related to their learning achievement when the intervention's effects were controlled for. These findings suggest that students' awareness of VR's usefulness could be a factor in VR's effectiveness.
Amount and composition of total fatty acids in red and yellow bone marrow are altered with changes in bone mineral density
2023-02-13

There is general consent that with decreasing bone mineral density the amount of marrow adipose tissue increases. While image-based techniques, claim an increase in saturated fatty acids responsible for this effect, this study shows an increase in both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the bone marrow. Using fatty acid methyl ester gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, characteristic fatty acid patterns for patients with normal BMD (N = 9), osteopenia (N = 12), and osteoporosis (N = 9) have been identified, which differ between plasma, red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. Selected fatty acids, e.g. FA10:0, FA14:1, or FA16:1 n-7 in the bone marrow or FA18:0, FA18:1 n-9, FA18:1 n-7, FA20:0, FA20:1 n-9, or FA20:3 n-6 in the plasma, correlated with osteoclast activity, suggesting a possible mechanism how these fatty acids may interfere with BMD. Although several fatty acids correlated well with the osteoclast activity and BMD, there was not a single fatty acid contained in our fatty acid profile that can be claimed for controlling BMD, a fact that may be attributed to the genetic heterogeneity of the patients.
Examining molecular factors of inactive versus active bivalent EGFR inhibitors: A missing link in fragment-based drug design.
2023-02-13

The optimization of linkers that connect fragments within drug binding sites represents an impediment in fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD). To improve our understand of the molecular factors that enable effective fragment linking, we have produced a series of compounds that bind to the ATP and allosteric sites of the EGFR kinase domain connected by two distinct linker structures. We find the linker is responsible for opposing impacts on potency against EGFR mutants, the most potent of which are active in human cancer cells. Comparison of X-ray cocrystal structures of active versus inactive molecules provide unique experimentally derived insights into linker design criteria such as how fragment flexibility and intermolecular interactions can serve compound design broadly in drug optimization.
Longitudinal dynamics of depression in risk groups of older individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic
2023-02-13

Background Older individuals are most at risk of severe COVID-19 and particularly require protection causing (self)restriction of psychosocial interaction in daily living. So far, the impact of psychosocial withdrawal on mental health seems less pronounced in community-dwelling older individuals compared to younger individuals. However, dynamics and adverse long-term effects of the pandemic, such as increases in depression, are still mostly unclear, especially for vulnerable subgroups. Methods Pre-pandemic and 3-, 8-, 14-, 20-month peri-pandemic data were analyzed in 877 older participants (age at 3-month peri-pandemic: mean ± SD: 72.3 ± 6.3, range: 58–91 years) of the observational prospective TREND study in Germany. Severity of depression (Beck's Depression Inventory-II scores) and key factors of (mental) health were investigated for cross-sectional associations using path modeling. Risk groups defined by resilience, loneliness, history of depression, stress, health status and fear of COVID-19 were investigated for differences in depression between timepoints. Findings The early pandemic (3-month) severity of depression was most strongly associated with history of depression, stress and resilience. Overall increases in clinically relevant depression (mild-severe) from pre- to 3-month peri-pandemic were small (% with depression at pre-/3-month peri-pandemic: 8.3%/11.5%). Changes were most pronounced in risk groups with low resilience (27.2%/41.8%), loneliness (19.0%/28.9%), fear of COVID-19 (17.6%/31.4%), high stress (24.4%/34.2%), a history of depression (27.7%/36.9%), and low health status (21.8%/31.4%). Changes in depression were largely observed from pre- to 3-month and were sustained to the 20-month peri-pandemic timepoint, overall and in stratified risk groups defined by single and cumulative risk factors. Changes between timepoints were heterogenous as indicated by alluvial diagrams. Conclusion Only specific risk groups of older individuals showed a large increase in depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since these increases occurred early in the pandemic and were sustained over 20 months, these vulnerable risk groups need to be prioritized for counselling and risk mitigation of depression.
Supplemental Material for Enhancing the effectiveness of virtual reality in science education through an experimental intervention involving students’ perceived usefulness of virtual reality.
2023-02-13

This study examined whether the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) in science education could be enhanced by providing students with relevant information about VR's usefulness before a virtual lesson. On the basis of expectancy–value theory, we manipulated students' perceived usefulness of VR by using video priming before presenting a virtual biology lesson. We then assessed how the intervention affected students' presence, interest in the virtual lesson, and learning achievement. Additionally, we tested the relationships between presence and learning outcomes. A sample of 196 students in Grade 10 was randomly assigned to a learning-usefulness condition, a daily-life-usefulness condition, or a control condition (no priming intervention) in VR. The results showed that students in both experimental conditions perceived VR as significantly more useful for learning and had greater learning achievement than those in the control condition. In addition, students in the daily-life-usefulness condition experienced less presence than those in the control condition, but there was no difference between the learning-usefulness condition and the control condition in this regard. However, the intervention had no effect on students' interest in the virtual biology lesson. Moreover, students in the two experimental conditions did not differ from each other on any of the outcomes we considered. Furthermore, the results revealed that students' presence was positively associated with their interest in the virtual lesson but was not related to their learning achievement when the intervention's effects were controlled for. These findings suggest that students' awareness of VR's usefulness could be a factor in VR's effectiveness.
Eco-evolutionary dynamics in two-species mutualistic systems: One-sided population decline triggers joint interaction disinvestment
2023-02-13

Abstract The interplay between ecological and evolutionary dynamics can create feedback that reinforces external disturbances and potentially threatens species’ coexistence. For example, plants might invest less into attracting insect pollinators (decreased flower or nectar production) and more into independence (increased selfing or vegetative reproduction) when faced with pollinator decline. This adaptive response saves plant resources at the cost of further threatening the pollinator population. We ask under which conditions such self-reinforcing feedback occurs in two-species mutualistic systems when considering one-sided population decline and whether it can be counteracted by self-dampening feedback if co-evolution of both interaction partners is considered. Based on a mathematical model and in line with previous studies, we find that the described pattern of accelerated population decline occurs for a wide range of parameter values if a concave allocation trade-off between independent growth and interaction investment is assumed. The undisturbed population typically disinvests first, which then forces the declining population to also disinvest, in favour of other energy sources. However, a decelerated population decline can occur if the adaptation of the undisturbed partner is relatively slow compared to environmental decay, reducing the speed of its disinvestment, or if the initial investment into the interaction was very high. Our results suggest that if actions are taken to save endangered populations, not only the evolution of the target species but also of their interaction partner, as well as the interaction between them should be considered.
An optimized IgG-based B7-H3xCD3 bispecific antibody for treatment of gastrointestinal cancers
2023-02-14

T cell-based immunotherapy has revolutionized oncological treatment. However, many patients do not respond to treatment, and long-term remissions remain rare, particularly in gastrointestinal cancers like colorectal cancer (CRC). B7-H3 is overexpressed in multiple cancer entities including CRC on both tumor cells and tumor vasculature, the latter facilitating influx of effector cells into the tumor site upon therapeutic targeting. We generated a panel of T cell-recruiting B7-H3xCD3 bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) and show that targeting a membrane-proximal B7-H3 epitope allows for a 100-fold reduction of CD3 affinity. In vitro, our lead compound CC-3 showed superior tumor cell killing, T cell activation, proliferation, and memory formation, whereas undesired cytokine release was reduced. In vivo, CC-3 mediated potent antitumor activity in three independent models using immunocompromised mice adoptively transferred with human effector cells with regard to prevention of lung metastasis and flank tumor growth as well as elimination of large established tumors. Thus, fine-tuning of both target and CD3 affinities as well as binding epitopes allowed for the generation of a B7-H3xCD3 bsAbs with promising therapeutic activity. CC-3 is presently undergoing good manufacturing practice (GMP) production to enable evaluation in a clinical "first-in-human" study in CRC.
Investigation of Shared Genetic Risk Factors Between Parkinson's Disease and Cancers
2023-02-14

Abstract Background Epidemiological studies that examined the association between Parkinson's disease (PD) and cancers led to inconsistent results, but they face a number of methodological difficulties. Objective We used results from genome‐wide association studies (GWASs) to study the genetic correlation between PD and different cancers to identify common genetic risk factors. Methods We used individual data for participants of European ancestry from the Courage‐PD (Comprehensive Unbiased Risk Factor Assessment for Genetics and Environment in Parkinson's Disease; PD, N = 16,519) and EPITHYR (differentiated thyroid cancer, N = 3527) consortia and summary statistics of GWASs from iPDGC (International Parkinson Disease Genomics Consortium; PD, N = 482,730), Melanoma Meta‐Analysis Consortium (MMAC), Breast Cancer Association Consortium (breast cancer), the Prostate Cancer Association Group to Investigate Cancer Associated Alterations in the Genome (prostate cancer), International Lung Cancer Consortium (lung cancer), and Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (ovarian cancer) (N comprised between 36,017 and 228,951 for cancer GWASs). We estimated the genetic correlation between PD and cancers using linkage disequilibrium score regression. We studied the association between PD and polymorphisms associated with cancers, and vice versa, using cross‐phenotypes polygenic risk score (PRS) analyses. Results We confirmed a previously reported positive genetic correlation of PD with melanoma (G corr = 0.16 [0.04; 0.28]) and reported an additional significant positive correlation of PD with prostate cancer (G corr = 0.11 [0.03; 0.19]). There was a significant inverse association between the PRS for ovarian cancer and PD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.89 [0.84; 0.94]). Conversely, the PRS of PD was positively associated with breast cancer (OR = 1.08 [1.06; 1.10]) and inversely associated with ovarian cancer (OR = 0.95 [0.91; 0.99]). The association between PD and ovarian cancer was mostly driven by rs183211 located in an intron of the NSF gene (17q21.31). Conclusions We show evidence in favor of a contribution of pleiotropic genes to the association between PD and specific cancers. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the diagnosis of cutaneous melanomas: A retrospective cohort study from five European skin cancer reference centres
2023-02-14

Abstract Background The COVID‐19 lockdown had a dramatic impact on primary care access and resulted in postponed skin cancer screenings. This raises concerns for a diagnostic delay on primary cutaneous melanomas, which can subsequently increase morbidity and mortality. Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the COVID‐19‐related restrictions on the melanoma diagnosis in five European skin cancer reference centres in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy. Methods A total of 7865 cutaneous melanoma cases were collected between 01 September 2018 and 31 August 2021. The time period was stratified into pre‐COVID (pre‐lockdown) and post‐COVID (lockdown and post‐lockdown) according to the established restrictions in each country. The data collection included demographic, clinical and histopathological data from histologically confirmed cutaneous melanomas. Personal and family history of melanoma, and presence of immunosuppression were used to assess the diagnosis delay in high‐risk individuals. Results There was an overall increase of the Breslow tumour thickness (mean 1.25 mm vs. 1.02 mm) during the post‐COVID period, as well as an increase in the proportion of T3‐T4 melanomas, rates of ulceration and the number of mitotic rates ≥2 (all, p &lt; 0.001). Patients with immunosuppression and personal history of melanoma showed a decrease in the mean log10‐transformed Breslow during lockdown and post‐COVID. In the multivariate analysis, age at melanoma diagnosis ( p &lt; 0.01) and personal history of melanoma ( p &lt; 0.01) showed significant differences in the mean Breslow thickness. Conclusions The study confirms the diagnostic delay in cutaneous melanomas due to the COVID‐19 lockdown. High‐risk individuals, such as patients with personal history of melanoma and elderly individuals, were more hesitant to restart their regular skin cancer screenings post‐COVID. Further studies with longer follow‐up are required to evaluate the consequences of this diagnostic delay in long‐term outcomes.
Divalent Lanthanide Tetraisobutylaluminates: Reactivity and Living Isoprene Polymerization
2023-02-14

Abstract Lanthanide (Ln) tetraisobutylaluminates constitute key components in commercial 1,3‐diene polymerization catalysts, and likewise are the homogeneous rare‐earth‐metal catalysts of prime industrial importance. Discrete divalent rare‐earth‐metal complexes [Ln(Al i Bu 4 ) 2 ] (Ln=Sm, Eu, Yb) reported here display the first structurally characterized homoleptic metal tetraisobutylaluminates. Treatment of [Ln(Al i Bu 4 ) 2 ] with C 2 Cl 6 gives access to Sm II /Sm III mixed‐valence cluster [Sm 6 Cl 8 (Al i Bu 4 ) 6 ] and the Yb II cluster [Yb 4 Cl 4 (Al i Bu 4 ) 4 ], respectively. Reaction with B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 leads to hydride abstraction and formation of arene‐coordinated hydroborates such as [Sm{HB(C 6 F 5 ) 3 } 2 (toluene) 2 ]. Complexes [Ln(Al i Bu 4 ) 2 ] engage in single‐component isoprene polymerization, affording high cis ‐1,4 polyisoprenes with narrow molecular weight distributions. Binary [Yb(Al i Bu 4 ) 2 ]/[HNPhMe 2 ][B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ] fabricates polyisoprene in a perfectly living manner. The catalytically active species are scrutinized by NMR spectroscopy.
Signatures of criticality in efficient coding networks
2023-02-14

The critical brain hypothesis states that the brain can benefit from operating close to a second-order phase transition. While it has been shown that several computational aspects of sensory information processing (e. g., sensitivity to input) are optimal in this regime, it is still unclear whether these computational benefits of criticality can be leveraged by neural systems performing behaviorally relevant computations. To address this question, we investigate signatures of criticality in networks optimized to perform efficient encoding of stimuli. We consider a spike-coding network of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons with synaptic transmission delays and input noise. Previously, it was shown that the performance of such networks varies non-monotonically with the noise amplitude. Interestingly, we find that in the vicinity of the optimal noise level for efficient coding, the network dynamics exhibits signatures of criticality, namely, the distribution of avalanche sizes follows a power law. When the noise amplitude is too low or too high for efficient coding, the network appears either super-critical or sub-critical, respectively. Our work suggests that two influential, and previously disparate theories of neural processing optimization – efficient coding, and criticality – may be intimately related.