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Road safety remains a critical issue in contemporary society, where the sudden deterioration of road conditions due to weather-related natural phenomena poses significant risks. These abrupt changes can lead to severe safety hazards on the roads, making real-time monitoring and control essential for maintaining road safety. In this context, technological advancements, especially in sensor networks and intelligent systems, play a fundamental role in efficiently managing these challenges. This study introduces an innovative approach that leverages a sophisticated sensor platform coupled with a multi-agent system. This integration facilitates the collection, processing, and analysis of data to preemptively determine the appropriate chemical treatments for roads during severe winter conditions. By employing advanced data analysis and machine learning techniques within a multi-agent framework, the system can predict and respond to adverse weather effects swiftly and with a high degree of accuracy. The proposed system has undergone rigorous testing in a real-world environment, which has verified its operational effectiveness. The results from the deployment of the multi-agent architecture and its predictive capabilities are encouraging, suggesting that this approach could significantly enhance road safety in extreme weather conditions. Furthermore, the proposed architecture allows the system to evolve and scale over time. This paper details the design and implementation of the system, discusses the results of its field tests, and explores potential improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study nilpotent Lie algebras endowed with a complex structure and a quadratic structure which is pseudo-Hermitian for the given complex structure. We propose several methods to construct such Lie algebras and describe a method of double extension by planes to get an inductive description of all of them. As an application, we give a complete classification of nilpotent quadratic Lie algebras where the metric is Lorentz-Hermitian and we fully classify all nilpotent pseudo-Hermitian quadratic Lie algebras up to dimension 8 and their inequivalent pseudo-Hermitian metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study of the COVID-19 disease consequences on healthcare professionals' mental health has drawn a great interest in psychology and other behavioral sciences. Previous studies mainly focused on professionals' health in terms of psychopathology, therefore, there is no research examining their positive mental health during both the first and the second wave. Also, there is no research studying healthcare professionals' social recognition during the pandemic and the influence of this variable on professionals' positive health. Methods: Following the WHO's recommendations, our objective was to measure pathology (i.e., anxiety and traumatic intensity), positive health (i.e., Hedonic, Psychological and Social Well-being) and social recognition in a sample of 200 healthcare professionals in the frontline care of Covid-19 patients. Results: In both waves, participants showed high levels of anxiety and traumatic intensity, although, as expected, in the second (vs. the first) wave psychopathological symptoms decreased. Concerning positive health indicators, in the second wave, health professionals showed more hedonic and psychological well-being than in the first one. However, in the second wave social well-being was lower than in the first wave, an expected though apparently paradoxical result, linked to the decrease in healthcare professionals' social recognition between the first and the second wave. In fact, bootstrapping procedures and Sobel Test confirm the mediating role of social recognition on the effect of Covid-19 wave on social well-being. Conclusions: Public institutions, governments, and society in general, should recognize health professionals' work, given that social recognition is a fundamental protection factor for social well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the important limitations of direct (explicit) measures in psychological research with children, various scholars have focused on developing indirect (implicit) measures for different psychological constructs. However, children's well-being has traditionally been assessed in an explicit and direct way. For this reason, the first goal of the present research was to develop a new instrument to assess children's and adolescents' well-being using the Implicit Association Test (WB-IAT-Y). The second aim was to examine the relation between direct and indirect well-being measures. In this study, 358 primary and secondary school students answered the WB-IAT-Y, the Psychological Well-being Scales, and the World Health Organization – Five Well-Being Index. Finally, an expert conducted a semi-structured interview with each participant, asking about satisfaction with life in the main domains for children (i.e., family life, friends, school, and overall life satisfaction). The WB-IAT-Y showed good internal consistency and adequate construct validity. Factorial analyses indicated that this measure acted as an indirect measure. As in previous research, the WB-IAT-Y correlated weakly with the two well-being direct measures, and it showed the strongest correlation with the semi-structured interview conducted by an expert. To conclude, the new WB-IAT-Y instrument is a useful measure to assess indirect well-being for youths. We suggest that it is important to evaluate children's and adolescents' well-being using both direct and indirect measures in order to assess conscious and unconscious processing of self-relevant information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noble gases are useful tracers for geochemistry, used to elucidate the origin and evolution of the solar system and planets. Noble gas analyses have been limited to bulk and spot analyses of solids and have yet to be developed for two- and three-dimensional imaging analysis. Recent developments in He isotope imaging using secondary neutral mass spectrometry are reviewed. The images have been fully quantified, and the spatial resolution has reached the nanoscale. The detection limit has been reduced to the level of ~ 10–3 cm3 STP g−1 (~ 1017 cm−3, ~ 1 ppma) for helium at lateral micrometer resolution. With this development, the concentration distribution of He in solids has been visualized as a map for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrodes with nanostructured surface have emerged as promising low-impedance neural interfaces that can avoid the charge‐injection restrictions typically associated to microelectrodes. In this work, we propose a novel approximation, based on a two-step template assisted electrodeposition technique, to obtain flexible nanostructured electrodes coated with core–shell Ni–Au vertical nanowires. These nanowires benefit from biocompatibility of the Au shell exposed to the environment and the mechanical properties of Ni that allow for nanowires longer and more homogeneous in length than their only-Au counterparts. The nanostructured electrodes show impedance values, measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), at least 9 times lower than those of flat reference electrodes. This ratio is in good accordance with the increased effective surface area determined both from SEM images and cyclic voltammetry measurements, evidencing that only Au is exposed to the medium. The observed EIS profile evolution of Ni–Au electrodes over 7 days were very close to those of Au electrodes and differently from Ni ones. Finally, the morphology, viability and neuronal differentiation of rat embryonic cortical cells cultured on Ni–Au NW electrodes were found to be similar to those on control (glass) substrates and Au NW electrodes, accompanied by a lower glial cell differentiation. This positive in-vitro neural cell behavior encourages further investigation to explore the tissue responses that the implantation of these nanostructured electrodes might elicit in healthy (damaged) neural tissues in vivo, with special emphasis on eventual tissue encapsulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: An increased midnight cortisol (MC) has been described in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and type 1 diabetes (T1D). Lower circulating levels of the cytokine soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) have been found in T1D and ESKD and associated with cardiovascular (CV) events in the latter. We aimed to study MC and sTWEAK in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant (SPKT) recipients, and the association of these markers with CV risk factors and transplant outcomes. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study including subjects with T1D who received a first SPKT between 2008 and 2020. MC and sTWEAK at baseline were correlated with CV risk factors and evolution 1 year after SPKT. Results: We included 29 subjects (58.6% women, mean age 43.5 ± 7.5 years, diabetes duration 31.9 ± 9.4 years). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased directly with MC quartiles, despite similar hypertension prevalence (p < 0.05). At 1 year, antihypertensive treatment was deintensified in those in lower MC quartiles (p < 0.05). Diabetic neuropathy prevalence decreased progressively in higher cortisol quartiles (p for trend = 0.005). Low MC was associated with delayed kidney graft function (p for trend = 0.044), and high sTWEAK with kidney graft rejection (p for trend = 0.018). In multivariate analyses, MC (standardized-β 0.505, p = 0.004) and age (standardized-β − 0.460, p = 0.040) were independently correlated with SBP, and MC was independently associated with the presence of diabetic neuropathy (OR 0.633, 95% CI 0.425–0.944, p = 0.025), adjusted for confounders. Conclusions: In this exploratory study, lower MC was associated with a lower baseline SBP, an improvement of antihypertensive treatment 1 year after transplant, and a higher diabetic neuropathy prevalence in SPKT recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the negative conception of human nature employed by the Dark Triad, another instrument was recently developed to evaluate positive traits, the Light Triad Scale. Our first objective was to apply the same approach of bifactorial models of mental health, which argue that the absence of psychopathology does not necessarily indicate the presence of positive health, to the evaluation of personality. In this sense, we expected that the Light Triad and the Dark Triad are two distinct but interrelated domains of personality, and not just two opposite poles of the same spectrum. Moreover, we examined the relationship of both the Light Triad Scale and the Dark Triad Scale with well-being. To do it, we first adapted this instrument to Spanish and studied its factorial validity, factor invariance for age and gender, and reliability. A total of 1158 participants from Spain completed the Light Triad Scale, the Short Dark Triad Scale and Psychological Well-Being Scales. Confirmatory factor analysis suggested that the Spanish adaptation of the Light Triad Scale showed an adequate fit to the data and scalar invariance across gender and age. Parallel analysis and exploratory factor analysis confirmed the bifactorial model of positive-negative personality traits. Finally, the results showed a positive relation between Light Triad and well-being. The Spanish adaptation of the Light Triad is a useful instrument to assess positive personality traits, independently of the negative personality characteristics assessed by the Dark Triad. In closing, the Light Triad seems to be a core component of positive psychological functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore the role of Child Well-Being (CWB) in the integration processes of migrant and refugee minors. Through the co-creative development of a new child-centered system of indicators about the integration of migrant and refugee children in Europe the authors discuss a) the prominent role of well-being in this set of indicators, and b) how reappraising these indicators from a well-being approach can contribute to delving into which aspects of CWB are connected to the integration of migrant children. The contributions of this paper open new research paths: on the one hand, the methodology presented provides a reference for future research that can replicate the procedure to build child-centered indicators in disciplines different than migration studies; on the other hand, the results presented suggest not only that well-being has a prominent role in migrant children integration experiences, but also, that reappraising dimensions of migrant children's integration from a well-being approach hints at blurry borders between both concepts. This suggests promising research opportunities to underpin the relationship between integration and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma P. Karst has species of pharmacological and commercial importance, whose bioactives are used against diseases such as cancer. In Sonora, Mexico, vineyard pruning is one of the most abundant agricultural residues whose chemical composition favors the growth and development of this fungus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the metabolism of Ganoderma species grown in liquid medium with and without elicitors derived from vineyard pruning extracts of different polarities using isothermal microcalorimetry. A commercial strain of G. lucidum (control strain) and five native strains of G. curtisii, G. oerstedii, G. sessiliforme, G. subincrustatum and G. weberianum were evaluated using an isothermal microcalorimeter to determine the growth rate (µMax), lag phase (λ), net heat generated (MaxQ) and peak heat production time (T). For each of the strains, control and two treatments with vineyard pruning extracts were used. The native strains had a higher metabolic yield versus the control strain. The treatments increased the growth rate of the strains, except for G. oerstedii and G. lucidum, while G. curtisii and G. weberianum exhibited the best behavior compared to the control. Ganoderma curtisii strain showed a shorter lag phase and a considerable increase in growth rate with vineyard pruning extracts. The technique showed potential to help determine the concentration and effect time of the elicitor that produces the liquid culture of Ganoderma species that have more metabolic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollinators, such as bees, develop flexible memories of colors, patterns, and shapes, for efficient flower recognition. Here we tested whether other flower-foraging insects have evolved similar cognitive abilities underpinning flexible visual learning. We trained wild hornets from two species commonly found in Europe, the invasive yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) and the European hornet (Vespa crabro), to associate sucrose solution rewards to color stimuli in a Y-maze. Hornets from both species succeeded in differential and reversal learning and developed short-term memories of the learnt associations. Thus, just like bees, hornets can learn various visual cue-reward associations and remember them for at least 1 h for selecting flowers. Our study in non-model species illustrates how standard conditioning approaches can be used to explore and compare the cognitive abilities of animals sharing similar foraging ecologies. Significance statement: Bees can learn an impressive diversity of visual cues to recognize the best rewarding flowers. This can be studied using Y-maze in which individual insects must learn to associate visual stimuli to the presence or absence of nectar rewards. Here, using the same approach, we show that hornets are also capable of these associations. We compared the learning abilities of hornets from two common species in Europe and found that they could similarly learn to discriminate two colors and keep this information in memory for at least 1 h. Hornets thus evolved visual cognition facilitating robust flower foraging, like bees and many other pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A web-based survey of academic publishers was undertaken in 2021 by a team at Oxford International Centre for Publishing into the state of monograph publication in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. 25 publishing organisations responded, including many of the larger presses, representing approximately 75% of monograph output. Responses to the survey showed that the Covid 19 pandemic has accelerated the existing trend from print to digital dissemination and that Open Access (OA) titles receive substantially greater levels of usage than those published traditionally. Responses also showed that for most publishers OA publication stands at under 25% of output and that fewer than 10% of authors enquire about OA publication options. Continuing problem areas highlighted by respondents were the clearing of rights for OA publication and the standardisation of title and usage metadata. All responding organisations confirmed that they expect to be publishing monographs in ten years' time, but that they anticipate the format and/or the model will be different, with open access expected to play a key part in the future, perhaps in the context of a mixed economy of OA and 'toll access' publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast reconstruction is frequently offered to cancer patients who undergo mastectomy. Older women tend to have lower rates of reconstruction mostly due to an age-based discretion. We aimed to assess the safety of this surgery in this population. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis of patients who underwent breast reconstruction following mastectomy between 2015 and 2020 at "Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete." Patients were classified according to age when the reconstruction process began (group A: < 65 years–group B: > 65 years). Differences in demographics and clinical data were analyzed using Student's t test and Chi-square test. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and confidence intervals (CIs) for surgical complications according to age group. Propensity-score matching was used as a sensitivity analysis to test consistency among results. Results: We included 304 women (266: group A–38: group B). Complete reconstruction was achieved in 48.1% of patients in group A vs 10.5% in group B (P < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, age was not associated with an increased risk of surgical complications, neither overall (OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.40–1.95), early (OR 1.35, 95%CI 0.58–3.13) nor late (OR 1.05, 95%CI 0.40–2.81). Radiotherapy and smoking history were significant predictors for complications in every setting. Conclusions: In our cohort, age at breast reconstruction is not associated with a higher risk of surgical complications, in contrast to radiotherapy and smoking history. Therefore, age should not be a limiting factor when considering breast reconstruction. Level of Evidence IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study are to establish the usefulness of lung ultrasound with a handheld device to predict the risk of developing heart failure with the need for mechanical ventilation (MV) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This is a prospective study of consecutive patients admitted because of ACS-type myocardial infarction, without data of HF at admission in a tertiary hospital, between February 2017 and February 2018. Lung ultrasounds were performed with a handheld cardiologic device in the first 24 h, and defined as echo-positive (PE+) when exams revealed 3 or more B-lines in 2 or more bilateral quadrants. We related this finding to the need for MV during admission. We included 119 patients (65.1 ± 12.8 year; 75.6% male, 24.4% female; 87.4% in Killip class I, 12.6% in Killip class II). Pulmonary echography was positive (PE+) in 21 patients (17.6%). The sensitivity of PE+ to predict MV was 93.3%, the specificity 93.3%, and the area under the curve 0.93. In Cox regression analysis adjusted by CRUSADE score and Killip class, PE+ patients had a hazard ratio of 64.55 (CI 7.87; 529.25, p < 0.001) of needing MV. PE+ was associated with more frequent use of inotropes and mortality. Pulmonary ultrasonography with a handheld echocardiograph was predictive of severe heart failure and the need for mechanical ventilation in ACS with high specificity and sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of English language academic publishers in the UK, Europe and North America was undertaken in 2021. The objective was to gather data on the current landscape of academic monograph publishing in the arts, humanities, and social sciences and to identify trends. Respondents were asked about their monograph publishing activities, sales, distribution, and about the future direction of their programmes. The paper offers independent analysis of publisher information that may be helpful in informing the debate among stakeholders as to the future of the publication of long-form research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. The results offer key insights into the growth in output of titles, the level of print sales, the move towards open access, usage of monographs, and their pricing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odiel river basin is located in the Iberian Pyritic Belt (IPB) and mostly of its tributaries are severely affected by acid mine drainage (AMD). It is originated when pyritic minerals from abandoned mines, especially mineral residues from waste rock dams, get in contact with air and water. Fifteen sampling points were chosen to analyze interactions between diatom communities and water hydrogeochemistry. Considering physicochemical characteristics, sampling points were assigned as highly, moderately, and unpolluted by AMD. No correlation was observed between ecological diversity indexes and physico-chemical parameters. However, a dependency relationship between diatom species distribution and specific pH, conductivity, redox potential, sulfate, and metal concentrations was observed. Cluster analysis based on Pearson correlation and rs values of the non-parametric Spearman correlation allowed to identify Pinnularia acidophila, Pinnularia subcapitata var. elongata, and Eunotia exigua as the main bioindicators of AMD-polluted Odiel streams. Finally, a principal component analysis led to associate the most abundant diatoms species to specific physico-chemical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer is a global cancer burden and considerable effort has been made through the years to identify biomarkers for the disease. Approximately a decade ago, the potential of analysing extracellular vesicles in liquid biopsies started to be envisaged. This was the beginning of a new exciting area of research investigating the rich molecular treasure found in extracellular vesicles to identify biomarkers for a variety of diseases. Vesicles released from prostate cancer cells and cells of the tumour microenvironment carry molecular information about the disease that can be analysed in several biological fluids. Numerous studies document the interest of researchers in this field of research. However, methodological issues such as the isolation of vesicles have been challenging. Remarkably, novel technologies, including those based on nanotechnology, show promise for the further development and clinical use of extracellular vesicles as liquid biomarkers. Development of biomarkers is a long and complicated process, and there are still not many biomarkers based on extracellular vesicles in clinical use. However, the knowledge acquired during the last decade constitutes a solid basis for the future development of liquid biopsy tests for prostate cancer. These are urgently needed to bring prostate cancer treatment to the next level in precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether the deleterious effects of APOE4 are restricted to the Alzheimer's disease (AD) spectrum or cause cognitive impairment irrespectively of the development of AD is still a matter of debate, and the focus of this study. Our analyses included APOE4 genotype, neuropsychological variables, amyloid-βeta (Aβ) and Tau markers, FDG-PET values, and hippocampal volumetry data derived from the healthy controls sample of the ADNI database. We formed 4 groups of equal size (n = 30) based on APOE4 carriage and amyloid-PET status. Baseline and follow-up (i.e., 48 months post-baseline) results indicated that Aβ-positivity was the most important factor to explain poorer cognitive performance, while APOE4 only exerted a significant effect in Aβ-positive subjects. Additionally, multiple regression analyses evidenced that, within the Aβ-positive sample, hippocampal volumetry explained most of the variability in cognitive performance for APOE4 carriers. These findings represent a strong support for the so-called preclinical/prodromal hypothesis, which states that the reported differences in cognitive performance between healthy carriers and non-carriers are mainly due to the APOE4's capability to increase the risk of AD. Moreover, our results reinforce the notion that a synergistic interaction of Aβ and APOE4 elicits a neurodegenerative process in the hippocampus that might be the main cause of impaired cognitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In radiological screening, clinicians scan myriads of radiographs with the intent of recognizing and differentiating lesions. Even though they are trained experts, radiologists' human search engines are not perfect: average daily error rates are estimated around 3–5%. A main underlying assumption in radiological screening is that visual search on a current radiograph occurs independently of previously seen radiographs. However, recent studies have shown that human perception is biased by previously seen stimuli; the bias in our visual system to misperceive current stimuli towards previous stimuli is called serial dependence. Here, we tested whether serial dependence impacts radiologists' recognition of simulated lesions embedded in actual radiographs. We found that serial dependence affected radiologists' recognition of simulated lesions; perception on an average trial was pulled 13% toward the 1-back stimulus. Simulated lesions were perceived as biased towards the those seen in the previous 1 or 2 radiographs. Similar results were found when testing lesion recognition in a group of untrained observers. Taken together, these results suggest that perceptual judgements of radiologists are affected by previous visual experience, and thus some of the diagnostic errors exhibited by radiologists may be caused by serial dependence from previously seen radiographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the important limitations of direct (explicit) measures, the study of indirect (implicit) measures of psychological constructs has received increased attention of social researchers. However, in the field of well-being the measures that have traditionally been used have tried to capture people's well-being in an explicit and direct way, with some exceptions that are based mainly on adaptations of the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Given the critics that the IAT has received, the first aim of the present research was to develop a new life satisfaction measure using partially structured stimuli (PSWBS). The second goal was to examine the relation between direct and indirect well-being measures. In the first study, PSWBS showed good internal consistency, test–retest reliability and construct validity. Factorial analyses indicated that this measure acted as an indirect measure. In addition, direct and indirect well-being showed a significant but weak relation. To explain this result, in a second study we analyzed the moderating role of social comparison orientation on the relation between direct and indirect well-being measures. As expected, more social comparison tendency implied a stronger relation. In a third study we analyzed the criterion validity of both kind of measures. The PSWBS, the Personal Wellbeing Index-Adults and the Satisfaction With Life Scale significantly correlated with a criterion validity coefficient in terms of a semi-structured interview made by an external experimenter. Finally, in a fourth experiment we analyzed the influence of social desirability on direct and indirect measures of well-being. In contexts of high desirability, partially structured stimuli seemed to be more resistant to response factors (e.g., control of impressions) than traditional direct measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visual appearance of materials depends on their intrinsic light transfer properties, the illumination and camera conditions, and other environmental factors. This is in particular the case of porous, rough, or absorbent materials, where the presence of liquid on the surface alters significantly their BRDF, which in turn results in considerable changes in their visual appearance. For this reason, rendering materials change their appearance when wet continues to be a relevant topic in computer graphics. This is especially true when real-time photo-realistic rendering is required in scenes involving this kind of materials in interaction with water or other liquids. In this paper, we introduce a physically inspired technique to model and render appearance changes of absorbent materials when their surface is wet. First, we develop a new method to solve the interaction between the liquid and the object surface using its own underlying texture coordinates. Then, we propose an algorithm to model the diffusion phenomenon that occurs in the interface between a solid porous object and a liquid. Finally, we extend a model that explains the change of appearance of materials under wet conditions, and we implement it achieving real-time performance. The complete model is developed using GPU acceleration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not much research has adopted a multicomponent approach to examine the relationship between mindfulness and cognitive control. Studies addressing this issue have produced mixed results that may be due to the incorporation of different questionnaires to assess mindfulness and to the assessment of different stages and types of mindfulness itself. In the present study, we aimed to investigate to which extent dispositional mindfulness relates to a dynamic use of control modes as understood from the dual mechanisms of control theory. Further, we aimed to test this hypothesis by including two different frequently used mindfulness questionnaires in order to explore their confluence. Hundred thirty young adults completed two well-established assessment tools of mindfulness (Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire) and two well-validated experimental tasks measuring proactive/reactive control modes (AX-Continuous Performance Task and Cued Task-Switching Paradigm). The data analyses were performed considering the continuous values in multiple regression analyses, as it is thought to better capture individual differences. The results replicate the previous findings suggesting that mindful individuals tend to use proactive and reactive control in a balanced manner in comparison to low mindfulness individuals, who tend to rely more on proactive control. Moreover, mindful individuals showed greater flexibility when the two processing modes were available. Hence, the major effects were found by using the two questionnaires. Altogether our findings indicate that mindful individuals, who have been characterized by an enhanced focus on the present moment without judgment, are less attached to the previous contextual information, which allows them to exhibit a more flexible performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a game of spatial competition in prices. In particular, we focus on the linear-city duopoly model to see what we can learn about the distribution of consumers, which is not required to be uniform—as in the original Hotelling model. Using variation in firms' prices and costs, we identify points of the distribution of consumers. Based on these points, we estimate the spatial distribution of consumers along the linear city. We apply our methodology to a dataset of prices of two gas stations on a straight highway. By estimating the distribution of consumers, we are able to find the optimal location of an entrant gas station. Using our estimated distribution of consumers and the entrant's optimal point, we simulate welfare gains under counterfactual locations of an entrant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of information across the senses is critical for perception and is a common property of neurons in the cerebral cortex, where it is thought to arise primarily from corticocortical connections. Much less is known about the role of subcortical circuits in shaping the multisensory properties of cortical neurons. We show that stimulation of the whiskers causes widespread suppression of sound-evoked activity in mouse primary auditory cortex (A1). This suppression depends on the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), and is implemented through a descending circuit that links S1, via the auditory midbrain, with thalamic neurons that project to A1. Furthermore, a direct pathway from S1 has a facilitatory effect on auditory responses in higher-order thalamic nuclei that project to other brain areas. Crossmodal corticofugal projections to the auditory midbrain and thalamus therefore play a pivotal role in integrating multisensory signals and in enabling communication between different sensory cortical areas. In the primary auditory cortex, visual or tactile stimuli can modulate acoustically-driven activity. Here, the authors show that circuits linking the primary somatosensory cortex to both the auditory midbrain and thalamus allow tactile inputs to modulate auditory thalamocortical processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch a spacecraft in 2024 for a sample return mission from Phobos (Martian Moons eXploration: MMX). Touchdown operations are planned to be performed twice at different landing sites on the Phobos surface to collect > 10 g of the Phobos surface materials with coring and pneumatic sampling systems on board. The Sample Analysis Working Team (SAWT) of MMX is now designing analytical protocols of the returned Phobos samples to shed light on the origin of the Martian moons as well as the evolution of the Mars–moon system. Observations of petrology and mineralogy, and measurements of bulk chemical compositions and stable isotopic ratios of, e.g., O, Cr, Ti, and Zn can provide crucial information about the origin of Phobos. If Phobos is a captured asteroid composed of primitive chondritic materials, as inferred from its reflectance spectra, geochemical data including the nature of organic matter as well as bulk H and N isotopic compositions characterize the volatile materials in the samples and constrain the type of the captured asteroid. Cosmogenic and solar wind components, most pronounced in noble gas isotopic compositions, can reveal surface processes on Phobos. Long- and short-lived radionuclide chronometry such as 53Mn–53Cr and 87Rb–87Sr systematics can date pivotal events like impacts, thermal metamorphism, and aqueous alteration on Phobos. It should be noted that the Phobos regolith is expected to contain a small amount of materials delivered from Mars, which may be physically and chemically different from any Martian meteorites in our collection and thus are particularly precious. The analysis plan will be designed to detect such Martian materials, if any, from the returned samples dominated by the endogenous Phobos materials in curation procedures at JAXA before they are processed for further analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drivers of organic carbon (OC) burial efficiency are still poorly understood despite their key role in reliable projections of future climate trends. Here, we provide insights on this issue by presenting a paleoclimate time series of sediments, including the OC contents, from Lake Veliko jezero, Croatia. The Sr/Ca ratios of the bulk sediment are mainly derived from the strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) concentrations of needle-like aragonite in Core M1-A and used as paleotemperature and paleohydrology indicators. Four major and six minor cold and dry events were detected in the interval from 8.3 to 2.6 calibrated kilo anno before present (cal ka BP). The combined assessment of Sr/Ca ratios, OC content, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios, stable carbon isotope (δ13C) ratios, and modeled geochemical proxies for paleoredox conditions and aeolian input revealed that cold and dry climate states promoted anoxic conditions in the lake, thereby enhancing organic matter preservation and increasing the OC burial efficiency. Our study shows that the projected future increase in temperature might play an important role in the OC burial efficiency of meromictic lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid screening and low-cost diagnosis play a crucial role in choosing the correct course of intervention when dealing with highly infectious pathogens. This is especially important if the disease-causing agent has no effective treatment, such as the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and shows no or similar symptoms to other common infections. Here, we report a disposable silicon-based integrated Point-of-Need transducer (TriSilix) for real-time quantitative detection of pathogen-specific sequences of nucleic acids. TriSilix can be produced at wafer-scale in a standard laboratory (37 chips of 10 × 10 × 0.65 mm in size can be produced in 7 h, costing ~0.35 USD per device). We are able to quantitatively detect a 563 bp fragment of genomic DNA of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis through real-time PCR with a limit-of-detection of 20 fg, equivalent to a single bacterium, at the 35th cycle. Using TriSilix, we also detect the cDNA from SARS-CoV-2 (1 pg) with high specificity against SARS-CoV (2003). Designing efficient, rapid and low-cost diagnostic technologies targeting nucleic acids remains a challenge. Here the authors present a disposable silicon-based integrated Point-of-Need transducer produced in a standard wet lab and able to chemically-amplify and detect pathogen-specific sequences of nucleic acids quantitatively in real-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The failure of composite resin restorations in the posterior region is an ongoing concern in current clinical practice This study assesses possible factors and causes of the failure of restoration 1 year after their placement by fourth year dental students (on a 5-year degree course). While the systematic assessment of dental students does not appear to have received much attention in the field, this study asserts the need and benefit of an assessment methodology that can (1) predict the success or failure of restorations placed by dental students and (2) assist the clinical instructor in identifying the performance profile of each student. Eighty-one patients aged 26–77 years were treated by 81 undergraduates in a prospective cohort study from November 2013 to December 2015. One year after treatment, restorations were assessed by the same staff member who acted as the supervisor during the restoration placement. A CBR system was applied to make predictions about restorations. The CBR includes different machine learning techniques and statistical tests in the CBR cycle. The system calculates the relevant variables, which are used to predict failures. The accuracy of the system is measured with the AUC and the accuracy. The AUC obtained is 0.935 while the Kappa index and the accuracy are 91.36 and 0.75, respectively. In conclusion, factors related to the patient and to the treatment are associated to the failure of the restorative treatment. Of particular interest, the CBR was useful for the performance of a predictive model to estimate the probability of failure of resin restorations placed by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile sensing systems based on smartphones, connected vehicles and integrated sensors on new mobile devices have become an important alternative for the development of intelligent services in large urban environments. Massive data collection and its real-time analysis are essential for big cities to move towards energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, protection of the environment and economic sustainability. Current research and applications are mainly focused on the use of individual devices and the analysis of information on a single domain (e.g. activity recognition). However, it is still necessary to provide solutions for social problems based on smart mobile devices connected to the city. In this paper, we present an architecture for mobile sensing systems in large cities based on the intelligent agent paradigm and multi-agent systems. The presented platform provides support for multi-purpose machine learning services, implementing expert learning agents in each domain where the system collects data. Furthermore, the main challenges in mobile sensing systems such as scalability in crowded environments, handling of a large amount of data and the increasing appearance of sensing devices are addressed by the architecture due to the agent paradigm and multi-agent systems suit these demands naturally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider Lie groups G endowed with a pair of anticommuting left-invariant abelian complex structures (J1, J2) and a left-invariant (possibly indefinite) metric g such that (G, J1, J2, g) results to be a hyperkähler manifold. We give a classification of their Lie algebras up to dimension 12 and study some of their geometric properties. In particular, we show that all such groups are locally symmetric and complete and that the metric is flat if and only if the group is 2-step nilpotent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. Many synesthetes used their capabilities as inspiration for their works. Drawing on this phenomenon, this paper presents a model able to create chord progressions using colors as the synesthetic input. In particular, the model extracts sound from colors to create chord progressions by applying an artificial immune system (AIS). The quality of each chord is mapped in the Tonal Interval Space, a geometrical space in which mathematical measures are related to musical properties. The result is an assistive tool that has been evaluated in terms of musical standards and usefulness for the users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phobos and Deimos occupy unique positions both scientifically and programmatically on the road to the exploration of the solar system. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans a Phobos sample return mission (MMX: Martian Moons eXploration). The MMX spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in 2024, orbit both Phobos and Deimos (multiple flybys), and retrieve and return >10 g of Phobos regolith back to Earth in 2029. The Phobos regolith represents a mixture of endogenous Phobos building blocks and exogenous materials that contain solar system projectiles (e.g., interplanetary dust particles and coarser materials) and ejecta from Mars and Deimos. Under the condition that the representativeness of the sampling site(s) is guaranteed by remote sensing observations in the geologic context of Phobos, laboratory analysis (e.g., mineralogy, bulk composition, O-Cr-Ti isotopic systematics, and radiometric dating) of the returned sample will provide crucial information about the moon's origin: capture of an asteroid or in-situ formation by a giant impact. If Phobos proves to be a captured object, isotopic compositions of volatile elements (e.g., D/H, 13C/12C, 15N/14N) in inorganic and organic materials will shed light on both organic-mineral-water/ice interactions in a primitive rocky body originally formed in the outer solar system and the delivery process of water and organics into the inner rocky planets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in developed countries. Neuroendocrine prostate cancer, in particular, is associated with an aggressive phenotype and a poor prognosis. Neuroendocrine cells produce and secrete peptide hormones and growth factors in a paracrine/autocrine manner which promote the progression of the disease. Recent studies have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles or exosomes are released by prostate cancer cells, supporting the spread of prostate cancer. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) on neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in the androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line LNCaP and the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. GHRH induced an increase in the percentage of neurite-bearing cells and in the protein levels of Neuron-Specific Enolase. Both effects were blocked by the GHRH receptor antagonist MIA-690. In addition, pretreatment of these cells with the calcium chelator BAPTA, the EGFR inhibitor AG-1478 or the HER2 inhibitor AG-825 reduced the effect of GHRH, suggesting that the GHRH-induced stimulation of NED involves calcium channel activation and EGFR/HER2 transactivation. Finally, PC3-derived exosomes led to an increase in NED, cell proliferation and cell adhesion. Altogether, these findings suggest that GHRH antagonists should be considered for in the management of neuroendocrine prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factors influencing the real exchange rate are an important issue for a country's price competitiveness, which is especially relevant to those countries belonging to a monetary union. In this paper, we analyse the relationship between fiscal policy and the real exchange rate for the case of Spain. In particular, we explore how changes in government spending, differentiating between consumption and investment, can affect the long-run evolution of the real exchange rate vis-à-vis the euro area. The distinction between two alternative definitions of the real exchange rate, based on consumption price indices and export prices, respectively, will also prove to be relevant for the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowstone speleothem growth beneath Mount Arthur, New Zealand shows a clear relationship to vegetation density and soil development on the surface above. Flowstone does not currently form beneath sub-alpine Nothofagus forest above ca. 1000–1100 m altitude but U-Th dating shows it has formed there during past intervals of warmer-than-present conditions including an early–mid Holocene optimum and the last interglacial from ca. 131–119 ka. Some flowstones growing beneath ca. 600 m surface altitude, currently mantled with dense broadleaf-podocarp forest, grew during full glacial conditions, indicating that local tree line was never below this altitude. This implies that Last Glacial Maximum annual temperature was no more than ca. 4 °C cooler than today. Flowstone growth appears to be a robust indicator of dense surface vegetation and well-developed soil cover in this setting, and indicates that past interglacial climates of MIS 7e, 5e, the early–mid Holocene and possibly MIS 5a were more conducive to growth of trees than was the late Holocene, reflecting regional temperature changes similar in timing to Antarctic temperature changes. Here, flowstone speleothem growth is a sensitive indicator of vegetation density at high altitude, but may respond to other factors at lower altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new software (Soonspot) for the determination of the heliographic coordinates and areas of sunspots from solar images is presented. This program is very user-friendly and the accuracy of its results has been checked by using solar images provided by the Debrecen Photoheliographic Data (DPD). Due to its applicability in the studies of historical solar observations, the program has been used to analyze the solar drawings carried out by Hevelius in the 17th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural adaptation enables sensory information to be represented optimally in the brain despite large fluctuations over time in the statistics of the environment. Auditory contrast gain control represents an important example, which is thought to arise primarily from cortical processing. Here we show that neurons in the auditory thalamus and midbrain of mice show robust contrast gain control, and that this is implemented independently of cortical activity. Although neurons at each level exhibit contrast gain control to similar degrees, adaptation time constants become longer at later stages of the processing hierarchy, resulting in progressively more stable representations. We also show that auditory discrimination thresholds in human listeners compensate for changes in contrast, and that the strength of this perceptual adaptation can be predicted from physiological measurements. Contrast adaptation is therefore a robust property of both the subcortical and cortical auditory system and accounts for the short-term adaptability of perceptual judgments. Auditory contrast gain control helps us perceive sounds as constant despite changes in the environment or background noise. Here, the authors show that neurons in the auditory thalamus and midbrain of mice display independent contrast gain control, not just the cortex as previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phones, vehicles, appliances, and other types of devices have sensors in the last few years. On the good side, this makes the world increasingly interconnected every day. However, this interconnection generates Big Data that cannot be processed using traditional tools because of its volume, variety, and speed. This paper contributes with a review of mobile sensing systems, including their applications, shortcomings, and opportunities. A taxonomy covering the different systems revised is proposed. Moreover, the main characteristics of mobile sensing architectures are explained and research-related works are studied into the context of these characteristics. Multi-agent systems (MASs) are considered as a perfect match to create large-scale, multi-device, and multi-purpose mobile sensing systems with the potential of obtaining information from heterogeneous devices, open sources, and social networks. Finally, the paper also contributes with the overview of a MAS architecture that aims to leverage these features while the studied dimensions observed in the reviewed literature are covered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Peritoneal catheter dysfunction is a frequent complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Traditionally, dysfunction has been attributed to catheter malposition, but whether the location of the catheter tip in the small pelvis really determines proper function is unclear. Methods: We reviewed 900 abdominal X-ray images of PD patients from a 7-year period in two PD units that use different catheter types (straight and Swan Neck Curled). Results: In 52% of the images, the dialysis catheter tip was located in the ideal position in the small pelvis and in 48% in other sites. Peritoneal catheter function was normal at the time of imaging in 87% of those with ideal catheter tip position, and in 74% of those with other than ideal position. The tip was located in small pelvis in 35% of images performed during catheter dysfunction and in 56% of those performed during normal catheter function. There were no differences between two catheter types. The positive predictive value of abdominal X-ray images to predict catheter function was 26%, and the negative predictive value 87%. We also found a significant positive correlation between polycystic kidney disease and normal catheter function. In contrast, obese patients were more likely to have catheter malfunction. Previous abdominal surgery was not associated with catheter dysfunction. Conclusion: Our data showed a higher probability of normal function of peritoneal catheters whose tips were located in the small pelvis. However, also malpositioned catheters generally functioned well, and malpositioning of the PD catheter did not in itself explain its malfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constant research into the pharmaceutical properties of marine natural products has led to the discovery of many potentially active agents considered worthy of medical applications. Genus Conus, which approximately comprises 700 species, is currently under every researcher's interest because of the conopeptides in their crude venom. Conopeptides have a wide range of pharmacological classes and properties. This research focused on the crude venom of Conus striatus to assess its analgesic activity, mutagenicity, nephrotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity in mice. The crude venom was extracted from the conus snails and the protein concentration was determined using Bradford's method. The analgesic activity of the venom was determined using the hot-plate method and standard IFCC method was used to determine the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Evaluation of mutagenicity was done using micronucleus assay and the nephrotoxicity of the venom was determined using Kidney Coefficient and serum creatinine concentration. The maximum tolerable dose (MTD) of the crude venom was found to be 75 ppm. The venom exhibited potent analgesic activity even higher than the positive control (Ibuprofen). Most of the analgesic drugs can usually impact damage in the liver and kidneys. However, AST and ALT results revealed that the venom has no adverse effects on the liver. Although the venom increased the incidence of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, making it mutagenic, with MTD concentration's mutagenicity comparable to the positive control methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). The kidney coefficients, on the other hand, showed no significant difference between the treated groups and that of the untreated group. The serum creatinine also showed a concentration-dependent increase; with MTD treated mice got the highest creatinine concentration. However, MTD/2 and MTD/4 showed no significant difference in creatinine levels with respect to the untreated groups. Hence, the nephrotoxicity of the venom was only evident when used at higher concentration. The venom exhibited potent analgesic activity indicated that the C. striatus crude venom extract could have a potential therapeutic component as analgesic drugs that displayed no hepatic damage. This study also suggests that for this venom to be utilized for future medical applications, their usage must be regulated and properly monitored to avoid nephrotoxic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven georeferenced sites of paleontological interest, representative of the Upper Miocene of Seville (Central Guadalquivir Basin, Spain), have been selected and their scientific, educational, and touristic cultural values assessed, ranging between 410 and 770. Most of them are very rich in benthic macroforaminifers, molluscs, large echinoids, ichnofossils, cetaceans, and sharks. Sites 5 and 7 also contain the stratotype of the Andalusian stage proposed in the ‘70s. Using geomatic tools, they can be viewed in free virtual globes, including virtual flight, containing diagrams, photographs, and informative sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]