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Psycholinguistic research on metaphor has focused on verbal material. Yet, metaphors frequently occur in a multimodal format, blending words and pictures to convey meaning. Here we compared verbal and multimodal metaphors by using item pairs where stimulus one was always a word (e.g., "language" in the metaphorical conditions and "river" in the literal conditions) and stimulus two was either a word ("bridge") or a picture (the image of a bridge). The two types of metaphors elicited a similar N400 effect compared to literal pairs; at later latencies, visual metaphors were associated with a more pronounced negativity compared to literal pictures, whereas no effect was observed in the verbal domain. These findings indicate that both visual and verbal metaphors recruit conceptual operations reflected in the N400, but for visual metaphors, elaboration lasts longer. This difference in time course was driven by the low number of alternative interpretations and their closedness, pointing to the costs, rather than the facilitation, of integrating visual signs at an abstract level of representation.

The 4-component meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccine, 4CMenB, the first broadly protective, protein-based MenB vaccine to be licensed, is now registered in more than 50 countries worldwide. Real-world evidence (RWE) from the last decade confirms its effectiveness and impact, with infant immunization programs showing vaccine effectiveness of 71–95% against invasive MenB disease and cross-protection against non-B serogroups, including a 69% decrease in serogroup W cases in 4CMenB-eligible cohorts in England. RWE from different countries also demonstrates the potential for additional moderate protection against gonorrhea in adolescents. The real-world safety profile of 4CMenB is consistent with prelicensure reports. Use of the endogenous complement human serum bactericidal antibody (enc-hSBA) assay against 110 MenB strains may enable assessment of the immunological effectiveness of multicomponent MenB vaccines in clinical trial settings. Equitable access to 4CMenB vaccination is required to better protect all age groups, including older adults, and vulnerable groups through comprehensive immunization policies.

Abstract Quantum computers use the properties of quantum physics to perform information storage and processing operations. The operation of these computers involves concepts such as entanglement and superposition, which endow them with a great processing power that even surpasses that of the most powerful current supercomputers, while consuming significantly lower amounts of energy. The different studies analyzed in this review article suggest that quantum computing will have a deep impact in areas such as finance, logistics, transportation, space and automotive technology, materials science, energy, pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, cybersecurity, and agriculture. In digital agriculture, several applications that could be executed more efficiently in quantum computers for data processing and understanding of biological processes were identified and exemplified. These applications are grouped here into the following four areas: bioinformatics, remote sensing, climate modeling, and smart farming. This article also explores the strategic importance of mastering quantum computing, highlights some advantages in relation to classical computing, and presents a mapping of the services already available, enabling institutions to undertake strategic planning for the incorporation of quantum computing into their development processes. Finally, the challenges for the implementation of quantum computing are highlighted, along with some ongoing initiatives aimed at furthering research at the forefront of knowledge in this area applied to digital agriculture.

Objectives: The central objective of this paper is to propose and test a model for the development of network governance structures to respond to the silo effect in the innovation management process in a large research organization. Method: A case study was used with the objective of building a governance model that could address the problems derived from the silo effect. To achieve the objective, validation workshops were held, with teams being challenged to reflect on the mechanisms and basic rules used to assemble the model. Results: The efforts made to inhibit the silo effect in the organization investigated were successful. Internal events were held to exchange knowledge between research centers, which resulted in greater stimulation of connections between these and other actors throughout the innovation ecosystem. Conclusions: The governance model adopted to mitigate the problems derived from the silo effect proved to be effective in promoting interaction between research centers on issues related to open innovation. The model, supported by mechanisms and basic rules inserted in the key actions, proved to be efficient in promoting a more intense relationship between the research units of the institution studied, resulting in new network actions.

Nickel and cobalt are frequently found in metallic alloys used in the manufacture of aneurysm clips and endovascular prostheses, such as the pipeline embolization device (PED). Nickel hypersensitivity can affect up to 15% of the population, however, it is very rarely overt in patients who undergo endovascular stent placement. Here, we present the case of a 35-year-old woman who developed allergic symptoms after PED placement and was later confirmed to be allergic to both nickel and cobalt by patch testing. Fortunately, she responded well to pharmacologic treatment, rendering surgical intervention unnecessary. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of symptomatic nickel hypersensitivity, and the second report of symptomatic cobalt allergy caused by the PED. Despite its low prevalence, we believe that surgeons should actively inquire patients in the postoperative period about allergic symptoms, to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.

Power management (PM) is cumbersome for today’s computing systems. Attainable performance is bounded by the architecture’s computing efficiency and capped in temperature, current, and power. PM is composed of multiple interacting layers. High-level controllers (HLCs) involve application-level policies, operating system agents (OSPMs), and PM governors and interfaces. The application of high-level control decisions is currently delegated to an on-chip power management unit executing tailored PM firmware routines. The complexity of this structure arises from the scale of the interaction, which pervades the whole system architecture. This paper aims to characterize the cost of the communication backbone between high-level OSPM agents and the on-chip power management unit (PMU) in high performance computing (HPC) processors. For this purpose, we target the System Control and Management Interface (SCMI), which is an open standard proposed by Arm. We enhance a fully open-source, end-to-end FPGA-based HW/SW framework to simulate the interaction between a HLC, a HPC system, and a PMU. This includes the application-level PM policies, the drivers of the operating system-directed configuration and power management (OSPM) governor, and the hardware and firmware of the PMU, allowing us to evaluate the impact of the communication backbone on the overall control scheme. With this framework, we first conduct an in-depth latency study of the communication interface across the whole PM hardware (HW) and software (SW) stack. Finally, we studied the impact of latency in terms of the quality of the end-to-end control, showing that the SCMI protocol can sustain reactive power management policies.

Background. The left and right temporoparietal junctions (TPJs) are two brain areas involved in several brain networks, largely studied for their diverse roles, from attentional orientation to theory of mind and, recently, predictive processing. In predictive processing, one crucial concept is prior precision, that is, the reliability of the predictions of incoming stimuli. This has been linked with modulations of alpha power as measured with electrophysiological techniques, but TPJs have seldom been studied in this framework. Methods. The present article investigates, using magnetoencephalography, whether spontaneous oscillations in pre-stimulus alpha power in the left and right TPJs can modulate brain responses during a linguistic task that requires predictive processing in literal and non-literal sentences. Results. Overall, results show that pre-stimulus alpha power in the rTPJ was associated with post-stimulus responses only in the left superior temporal gyrus, while lTPJ pre-stimulus alpha power was associated with post-stimulus activity in Broca’s area, left middle temporal gyrus, and left superior temporal gyrus. Conclusions. We conclude that both the right and left TPJs have a role in linguistic prediction, involving a network of core language regions, with differences across brain areas and linguistic conditions that can be parsimoniously explained in the context of predictive processing.

Pragmatics lies at the point where language meets the social world and encompasses both the linguistic and the social dimensions of communication. However, the relationship between pragmatic abilities, other language skills, and socio-cognitive aspects such as mentalizing is still a matter of wide debate. This study sets out to investigate the status of pragmatic abilities by testing from a developmental angle their relationship with other linguistic skills and mentalizing. We examined the role of structural language and mentalizing on both expressive pragmatic and prosodic skills in typically developing preschool children. A total of 105 3-to 4-year-old children were assessed on pragmatics and prosody with the Audiovisual Pragmatic Test, as well as on structural language skills (vocabulary and syntax) and a series of mentalizing measures (false belief, emotion understanding, and metacognitive vocabulary). A combined approach including correlations, regressions, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. Structural language was a strong positive predictor of both pragmatic and prosodic scores, while mentalizing predicted neither pragmatic nor prosodic performance. We suggest that in preschool years, expressive pragmatics and prosodic skills are more closely related to structural language skills than to mentalizing.

Jokes understanding is an important part of people's social life, especially in aging. However, little is known about older adults' humor understanding and the role of the cognitive skills underpinning social communication, mainly pragmatics and theory of mind (ToM). To fill this gap, we created the Phonological and Mental Jokes (PMJ) task, a fine-grained task distinguishing two types of jokes based on the mentalistic load. The PMJ task was administered, together with the Assessment of Pragmatic Abilities and Cognitive Substrates (APACS) test for pragmatics and the Strange Stories for ToM, to 147 older adults (age-range 60-85). Through structural equation modeling (SEM), we analyzed: i) the latent structure of the PMJ task; ii) the relationships between humor comprehension, pragmatics, and ToM, controlling for other background variables (vocabulary, education, and age). Results revealed a two-latent-factor model for the PMJ task, which separated phonological from mental jokes. Furthermore, pragmatic skills predicted humor comprehension irrespective of the type of joke, whereas the relationship between humor understanding and ToM skills was specific, being significant for mental, but not for phonological, jokes. These results suggest that humor understanding is part of the larger pragmatic competence of older adults and that it may additionally tax ToM skills when reasoning about the mental states of the joke's characters is required. These findings pave the way to a lifespan consideration of humor in social communication and add to the debate over the relationship between pragmatics and ToM, showing the different role of these abilities in humor., Author(s): Luca Bischetti [sup.1] , Irene Ceccato [sup.2] , Serena Lecce [sup.2] , Elena Cavallini [sup.2] , Valentina Bambini [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.30420.35, 0000 0001 0724 054X, Center for [...]

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social interaction deficits and repetitive/stereotyped behaviors. Its prevalence is increasing, affecting one in 36 children in the United States. The valproic acid (VPA) induced animal model of ASD is a reliable method for investigating cellular, molecular, and behavioral aspects related to the disorder. Trans-Resveratrol (RSV), a polyphenol with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects studied in various diseases, has recently demonstrated the ability to prevent cellular, molecular, sensory, and social deficits in the VPA model. In this study, we examined the effects of prenatal exposure to VPA and the potential preventive effects of RSV on the offspring. Method: We monitored gestational weight from embryonic day 6.5 until 18.5 and assessed the onset of developmental milestones and morphometric parameters in litters. The generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to analyze longitudinal data. Results: Exposure to VPA during rat pregnancy resulted in abnormal weight gain fold-changes on embryonic days 13.5 and 18.5, followed by fewer animals per litter. Additionally, we discovered a positive correlation between weight variation during E15.5-E18.5 and the number of rat pups in the VPA group. Conclusion: VPA exposure led to slight length deficiencies and delays in the onset of developmental milestones. Interestingly, the prenatal RSV treatment not only prevented most of these delays but also led to the early onset of certain milestones and improved morphometric characteristics in the offspring. In summary, our findings suggest that RSV may have potential as a therapeutic intervention to protect against the negative effects of prenatal VPA exposure, highlighting its importance in future studies of prenatal neurodevelopmental disorders.

SUMMARY Treating hypothyroidism can be challenging in patients with malabsorption, as they require a higher daily dose of oral levothyroxine (L-T4). Oral L-T4 absorption occurs mainly in the jejunum and the ileum and is affected by gastric acidity. As a result, absorption can be impaired by bariatric surgery. This paper presents a case of myxedema in a young man who had previously undergone biliopancreatic diversion. He was referred to the Emergency Department with deteriorated mental state, hypotension, bradycardia and hypothermia. Laboratory tests revealed severe hypothyroidism and hypokalaemia. The clinical and biochemical profile of the patient suggested myxedema coma. The tablet-based L-T4 therapy was replaced with intravenous (iv) L-T4, oral liquid L-T4 and oral liothyronine (L-T3) and inotropic agents and supportive care were also administered, resulting in a gradual improvement in clinical condition. The patient reported taking L-T4 tablets as prescribed before hospitalization. In patients with malabsorption, impaired L-T4 absorption may lead to severe forms of hypothyroidism. This case outlines the need for more frequent monitoring of serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone in patients submitted to bariatric surgery and suggests the benefit of using liquid L-T4 in the place of tablets in cases of malabsorption.

Although metaphors are essential tools in everyday communication and educational settings, the literature lacks evidence of effective training tools to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development. Grounding in theoretical pragmatics, we developed a novel metaphor comprehension training (MetaCom) for school-age children that focuses on inferential and contextual aspects of metaphors. The effects of the MetaCom were tested against a control training focusing on text comprehension in a randomized controlled trial involving 55 children aged between 8;8 and 9;8. Only children in the MetaCom group improved in the ability to verbally explain the meaning of a metaphor. Moreover, only the MetaCom showed transfer effects to reading comprehension. These findings suggest that targeting inference and attention to context is key to promote metaphor understanding, and that the benefits might extend to linguistic and communicative skills at large. The MetaCom training can thus represent a promising tool for educational programs, possibly also in atypical populations.

Objective: The present study seeks to overcome the lack of data on Covid-19 associated intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in Brazil. Methods: This is a retrospective, single-center case series of consecutive patients. It is a subanalysis of a larger study still in progress, which covers all neurological manifestations that occurred in patients admitted between March 1st, 2020 and June 1st, 2022, with active SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction test. All patients with non-traumatic ICH were included. Results: A total of 1675 patients were evaluated: 917 (54.75 %) had one or more neurological symptoms and 19 had non-traumatic ICH, comprising an incidence of 1.13 %. All patients had one or more risk factors for ICH. The presence of neurological manifestations before the ICH and ICU admission showed a statistically significant relationship with the occurrence of ICH (X2 = 6.734, p = 0.0095; OR = 4.47; CI = 1.3–15.4; and FET = 9.13; p =

Traumatic carotid artery dissection (TCAD) usually occurs after a direct cervical trauma or blunt trauma that causes hyperextension and excessive rotation of the neck. The most frequent presentation of TCAD is stroke, with 80% of patients developing a stroke in the first week after the trauma. Recent data indicate that symptoms start later in non-survivors (19.5 hours after trauma) compared with survivors (12.5 hours). In this case report, a young boy, 14 years-old, developed TCAD after he fell from his bike. He developed ischemic stroke symptomatology in the eighth day of hospitalization, with full recovery of symtoms after acetylsalicylic acid (AAS) administration. The use of antithrombotic medication is recommended, aiming for better neurological outcomes and prevention of stroke in TCAD patients, as highlighted by our case. However, the treatment recommendations are based on observational studies and expert opinion, owing to the lack of concrete data on the treatment of carotid artery blunt trauma. New studies and data are required to improve diagnosis and treatment of TCAD.

PurposeTo characterize patients with APS type 4 among those affected by APS diagnosed and monitored at our local Reference Center for Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndromes.MethodsMonocentric observational retrospective study enrolling patients affected by APS diagnosed and monitored in a Reference Center. Clinical records were retrieved and analyzed.Results111 subjects (51 males) were affected by APS type 4, mean age at the onset was 23.1 ± 15.1 years. In 15 patients the diagnosis of APS was performed during the first clinical evaluation, in the other 96 after a latency of 11 years (range 1-46). The most frequent diseases were type I diabetes mellitus and celiac disease, equally distributed among sexes.ConclusionsThe prevalence of APS type 4 is 9:100,000 people. Type I diabetes mellitus was the leading indicator of APS type 4 in 78% subjects and in 9% permitted the diagnosis occurring as second manifestation of the syndrome. Our data, showing that 50% of patients developed APS type 4 within the first ten years, don’t suggest any particular follow-up time and, more importantly, don’t specify any particular disease. It is important to emphasize that 5% of women developed premature ovarian failure.

Psoriatic arthritis is defined as chronic inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis. The current data regarding gender differences in clinical manifestation and therapeutic outcomes of psoriatic arthritis are limited. Generally, men show a peripheral disease manifestation, while women have an axial distribution of the lesions. If we look at temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement, epidemiological data on the involvement of the TMJ are hard to find. Few studies on therapeutic management and the related impact on the quality of life are reported in the literature. Given the morpho-functional peculiarities of the TMJ and the different pain burdens between male and female genders, when manifestation of psoriatic arthritis occurs, clinicians should face it using a multidisciplinary approach for a correct diagnosis and successful treatment. This review aims to examine the diagnostic signs of psoriatic arthritis in the TMJ, the eventual variations of this disease in male and female patients, and the therapeutical strategies. The coordination of different specialties is fundamental to the remission of clinical symptoms and lesion regression.