Academy Of Sciences Research Articles

Exploring the effectiveness of reward-based learning strategies for second-language speech sounds.

Adults struggle to learn non-native speech categories in many experimental settings (Goto, Neuropsychologia, 9(3), 317-323 1971), but learn efficiently in a video game paradigm where non-native speech sounds have functional significance (Lim & Holt, Cognitive Science, 35(7), 1390-1405 2011). Behavioral and neural evidence from this and other paradigms point toward the involvement of reinforcement learning mechanisms in speech category learning (Harmon, Idemaru, & Kapatsinski, Cognition, 189, 76-88 2019; Lim, Fiez, & Holt, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116, 201811992 2019). We formalize this hypothesis computationally and implement a deep reinforcement learning network to map between environmental input and actions. Comparing to a supervised model of learning, we show that the reinforcement network closely matches aspects of human behavior in two experiments - learning of synthesized auditory noise tokens and improvement in speech sound discrimination. Both models perform comparably and the similarity in the output of each model leads us to believe that there is little inherent computational benefit to a reward-based learning mechanism. We suggest that the specific neural circuitry engaged by the paradigm and links between striatum and superior temporal areas play a critical role in effective learning.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and its metabolites research trend: a bibliometric analysis.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is one of the most widely used plasticizers. Many studies focus on the impact of continuous exposure to DEHP on humans and ecosystems. In this study, the bibliometric analysis of DEHP and its metabolites research was conducted to assess the research performances, hotspot issues, and trends in this field. The data was retrieved from a Web of Science Core Collection online database. VOSviewer 1.6.18 was used to analyze. A total of 4672 publications were collected from 1975 to 2022 October 21. The number of publications and citations increased annually in the last decades. China had the largest number of publications, and the USA had the highest co-authorship score. The most productive and most frequently cited institutions were the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (USA), respectively. The journal with the most publications was the Science of Total Environment, and the most cited one was the Environmental Health Perspectives. The most productive and cited author was Calafat A. M. (USA). The most cited reference was "Phthalates: toxicology and exposure." Four hotspot issues were as follows: influences of DEHP on the organisms and its possible mechanisms, assessment of DEHP exposure to the human and its metabolism, dynamics of DEHP in external environments, and indoor exposure of DEHP and health outcomes. The research trends were DNOP, preterm birth, gut microbiota, microplastics, lycopene, hypertension, and thyroid hormones. This study can provide researchers with new ideas and decision-makers with reference basis to formulate relevant policies.

PD-L1 and B7-H3 are Effective Prognostic Factors and Potential Therapeutic Targets for High-Risk Thyroid Cancer.

The prognosis of thyroid cancer in patients varies significantly based on different pathological types or distinct clinical situations. Investigating the expression of immune checkpoint molecules PD-L1 and B7-H3 in high-risk thyroid cancer and their correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis will contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. A retrospective sample of 202 patients with thyroid cancer who underwent surgery at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences was collected, including 33 cases of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), 21 cases of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) with distant metastasis (DM), 7 cases of differentiated high-grade thyroid carcinoma (DHGTC), and 109 cases of aggressive subtypes of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) (including 28 cases of tall cell PTC, 31 cases of diffuse sclerosing PTC, 20 cases of solid PTC, 15 cases of columnar cell PTC, and 15 cases of hobnail PTC). In the control group, there were 32 cases of classic PTC. The differences in protein expression between PD-L1 and B7-H3 in several high-risk thyroid cancers and normal tissues and controls were compared by immunohistochemical staining, and the clinicopathological features and prognostic relevance were statistically analyzed. The expression of PD-L1 in ATC (P < 0.001), tall cell PTC (P = 0.031), and DHGTC (P = 0.003) was significantly higher than that in classic PTC. The expression of B7-H3 in ATC (P < 0.001), DTC with DM (P = 0.001), diffuse sclerosing PTC (P = 0.013), columnar cell PTC (P = 0.007), solid PTC (P < 0.001), hobnail PTC (P < 0.001), and DHGTC (P < 0.001) was significantly higher than that in classic PTC. In ATC, PD-L1 expression correlated significantly with extrathyroidal extension (ETE) (P = 0.027) and B7-H3 expression correlated significantly with male patients (P = 0.031) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) (P = 0.026). The positive expression of B7-H3 (P = 0.041) was an independent risk factor for disease progression in ATC. B7-H3 positive expression (P = 0.049), PD-L1 positive expression (P = 0.015), and tumor diameter ≥ 2cm (P = 0.038) were independent risk factors for disease progression in patients with DTC with DM. PD-L1 positive expression (P = 0.019) and tumor diameter ≥ 2cm (P = 0.018) were independent risk factors for disease progression in patients with aggressive subtypes of PTC. B7-H3 and PD-L1 are expected to be effective prognostic indicators for patients with aggressive thyroid cancer, which can help in optimization of individualized treatment strategies. Immunotherapy targeting these two molecules may provide new and complementary ideas for the treatment of high-risk/refractory thyroid cancer.

The path to recognition (An essay on the life and scientific heritage of Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences A. N. Trainin)

The article is devoted to the scientific heritage of Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Law, Professor, statesman and public figure Aron Naumovich Trainin. A. N. Trainin is known primarily as a legal ideologue of anti-fascism, one of the first developers of problems of International Criminal Law; who participated in the Nuremberg trials as a consultant. He is the author of over 300 works. He was actively engaged in the development of problems of the theory of Criminal Law – corpus delicti, complicity, criminal responsibility, International Criminal Law.

Laser Observations of GALILEO Satellites at the CBK PAN Astrogeodynamic Observatory in Borowiec

The laser station (BORL) owned by the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences and situated at the Astrogeodynamic Observatory in Borowiec near Poznań regularly observes more than 100 different objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO). The BORL sensor’s laser observation range is from 400 km to 24,500 km. The laser measurements taken by the BORL sensor are utilized to create various products, including the geocentric positions and movements of ground stations, satellite orbits, the components of the Earth’s gravitational field and their changes over time, Earth’s orientation parameters (EOPs), and the validation of the precise Galileo orbits derived using microwave measurements, among others. These products are essential for supporting local and global geodetic and geophysics research related to time. They are crucial for the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), which is managed by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS). In 2023, the BORL laser station expanded its list of tracked objects to include all satellites of the European satellite navigation system GALILEO, totaling 28 satellites. During that year, the BORL laser station recorded 77 successful passes of GALILEO satellites, covering a total of 21 objects. The measurements taken allowed for the registration of 7419 returns, resulting in 342 normal points. The average RMS for all successful GALILEO observations in 2023 was 13.5 mm.

Влияние биологических регуляторов роста на содержание фотосинтетических пигментов Campanula alliariifolia

Abstract. The purpose is to study the effectiveness of the action of the natural signaling molecule salicylic acid (SA) and Bacillus subtilis (Bs) on the ratio of photosynthetic pigments (PhSP) in plant materials (leaves) of Campanula alliariifolia Willd. and its decorativeness. Methods. Using spectrophotometric techniques, an analysis was carried out of the dynamics of the content of pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids) under the influence of a strain of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, isolated at the Bashkir Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture of the Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Ufa) from the arable soil layer of the Republic of Bashkortostan, and its combination with salicylic acid during the growing season. Scientific novelty. The influence of the B. subtilis strain separately and together with salicylic acid on the physiological parameters and decorative properties of Campanula alliariifolia in the conditions of the Bashkir Cis-Ural was studied. Results. The content and ratio of PhSP in dynamics (phases of budding, flowering and fruiting) were analyzed. It was revealed that inoculation of C. alliariifolia plants with Bacillus subtilis significantly increases the amount of carotenoids during the flowering phase. During the fruiting phase, the maximum content of PhSP was noted in the Bs + SA variant of the experiment. Two-factor analysis of variance showed that the significant influence of factor A (vegetation phase), factor B (different experimental options), and the degree of total influence of two factors (A × B) on the content of PhSP in samples of campanula leaves is statistically significant for the studied indicators. It was found that inoculation with the B. subtilis strain maximized indicators such as the abundance of flowering and the density of bellflower inflorescences, thereby improving the decorativeness of C. alliariifolia in the conditions of the Bashkir Cis-Ural.

How maternal caring affects longevity

When it comes to longevity, everyone wants to live for eternity. Longevity research has often led scientists to dark alleys with several candidate molecules responsible for aging. Pioneering genetic studies on model organisms like Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster discovered the most well-conserved longevity pathways, mainly caloric restriction and the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1signaling pathways. Apart from these complex molecular circuitries that drive longevity, a recent study published by Zipple et al. (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2024) showed that the relationship between mother and grandmother with the child may determine why some animals and humans live longer than expected for their size. Animals that spend more time with their mothers during early life end up living longer but with reduced capacity to produce offspring. This exciting piece of research has far more consequences than just these findings. It implies the importance of the mother in one’s life and the role of parental care in providing longevity and reproductive success.

Abstracts from the Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Academy of Science 3 - 4 November 2023

Abstracts from the Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Academy of Science 3 - 4 November 2023

Statement from the Indiana Academy of the Social Sciences and Board of Directors

Statement from the Indiana Academy of the Social Sciences and Board of Directors

Associations of bisphenol and phthalate exposure and anti-Müllerian hormone levels in women of reproductive age

In women, exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals might accelerate the depletion of the ovarian reserve and might be associated with accelerative reproductive aging and fertility. We examined the longitudinal associations of exposure to bisphenols and phthalates with anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations. Pregnant women of 18 years or older that resided in Rotterdam between 2002 and 2006 were eligible for participation in this longitudinal prospective cohort study. We measured urinary bisphenol and phthalate concentration at three time-points in pregnancy among 1405 women, of whom 1322 women had serum Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) measurements 6 and/or 9 years postpartum. We performed linear regression models to assess the association of urinary bisphenol and phthalate metabolites with AMH after 6 and 9 years, and linear mixed-effect model to assess the association with AMH over time. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. In our multivariable linear regression models we observed associations of higher urinary pregnancy-averaged mono-isobutyl phthalate (mIBP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (mEOHP), and monobenzyl phthalate (mBzBP) with lower serum AMH after both 6 and 9 years. However, these associations did not remain after adjustment for multiple testing. No significant associations of bisphenol A with AMH were present in our study sample. In our linear mixed-effects models, higher mIBP, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (mEHHP), mEOHP, and mBzBP were associated with lower overall AMH levels (differences-0.07 (95% CI -0.13,-0.02),-0.09 (-0.15,-0.02),-0.08 (95% CI -0.14,-0.02), and-0.08 (-0.13,-0.03) μg/L per doubling in mIBP, mEHHP, mEOHP, and mBzBP respectively) (all False Discovery Rate adjusted p-values < 0.05). We identify decreases in indices of ovarian reserve in relationship to prenatal phthalate exposures. Studies are needed replicating our results among large multi-ethnic non-pregnant populations and assessing transgenerational effects of exposure on ovarian reserve. This study was supported by the Erasmus Medical Center and Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development, the European Research Council, the Dutch Heart Foundation, the Dutch Diabetes Foundation, the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program, the National Institutes of Health, Ansh Labs Webster, and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

VIII International Conference on Topical Problems of Continuum Mechanics October 1–5, 2023, Tsaghkadzor, Armenia

The VIII International Conference was held 1–5 October 2023 hosted by the Institute of Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. The conference aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers, and engineers to exchange and share their experience and results on all aspects of continuum mechanics. It also aims to provide the premier interdisciplinary forum for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns, practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the field of continuum mechanics. The conference program covers such topics as: • General Problems • Contact Mechanics • Mechanics of Growing Solids • Mechanics of Technological Processes • Mechanics of Additive Manufacturing • Thin-walled Structures • Elasticity and Viscoelasticity • Plasticity • Tribology • Fracture Mechanics • Coupled Fields in Solids • Composites • Soil Mechanics • Fluid Mechanics • Optimal Design and Control Theory • Mechanics of Nano-systems • Structural Mechanics • Biomechanics • Hydraulics and Hydraulic Facilities • Experimental Mechanics During the conference a joint discussion of fundamental, computational, and applied problems of the new scientific area by leading mechanicians, mathematicians, physicists and technologists, exchange of the latest ideas and achievements, as well as working out the main directions of its further development were carried out. Representatives from four countries such as Russia (34), Armenia (22), India (1), Georgia (2) were participated in the conference. The geography of participants from Russia is quite wide: Moscow, Sankt-Peterburg, Rostov-on-Don, Perm, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saratov, Ufa. The keynote lectures were presented by the professors L.A. Aghalovyan (Armenia), A.S. Avetisyan (Armenia), V.V. Avetisyan (Armenia), Yu.D. Chashechkin (Russia), V.N. Hakobyan (Armenia), V.E. Nazaikinsky (Russia), B.N. Semenov (Russia), M.A. Sumbatyan (Russia), E.V. Torskaya (Russia), A.O. Vatulyan (Russia), R. Velmurugan (India), V.N. Zimin (Russia). The 42 oral and 26 poster reports have been presented at the conference. The materials of the conference consisting of the 83 brief papers have been published to the beginning of the conference. List of Organizers and Organizing Committee are available in this Pdf.

Wastewater Target Pathogens of Public Health Importance for Expanded Sampling, Houston, Texas, USA.

Building on the success of initiatives put forth during the COVID-19 pandemic response, US health officials are expanding wastewater surveillance programs to track other target pathogens and diseases of public health interest. The Houston Health Department in Houston, Texas, USA, conducted a hypothesis-generating study whereby infectious disease subject matter experts suggested potential targets. This study addressed 2 criteria recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for selecting wastewater targets. Results can be used as a basis of a questionnaire for a future population-based study to recommend targets of highest priority to include for expanded wastewater sampling.

The Key Laboratory of Systems and Control at the Chinese Academy of Sciences [Institutes in Control

The Key Laboratory of Systems and Control at the Chinese Academy of Sciences [Institutes in Control

Proximity or Prosperity? Evidence from the Cross-Regional Cooperation of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Proximity or Prosperity? Evidence from the Cross-Regional Cooperation of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Proximity or Prosperity? Evidence from the Cross-Regional Cooperation of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Proximity or Prosperity? Evidence from the Cross-Regional Cooperation of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Peer Review Statement

All papers published in this volume have been reviewed through processes administered by the Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing. • Type of peer review: Single Anonymous • Conference submission management system: Morressier • Number of submissions received: 46 • Number of submissions sent for review: 46 • Number of submissions accepted: 40 • Acceptance Rate (Submissions Accepted / Submissions Received × 100): 87 • Average number of reviews per paper: 2 • Total number of reviewers involved: 34 • Contact person for queries: Name: Avetik Sahakyan Email: avsahakyan@gmail.com Affiliation: National Academy of Sciences of Armenia - Institute of Mechanics

Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery: A Bibliometric Analysis and Literature Review.

Drug discovery is a complex and iterative process, making it ideal for using artificial intelligence (AI). This paper uses a bibliometric approach to reveal AI's trend and underlying structure in drug discovery (AIDD). A total of 4310 journal articles and reviews indexed in Scopus were analyzed, revealing that AIDD has been rapidly growing over the past two decades, with a significant increase after 2017. The United States, China, and the United Kingdom were the leading countries in research output, with academic institutions, particularly the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Cambridge, being the most productive. In addition, industrial companies, including both pharmaceutical and high-tech ones, also made significant contributions. Additionally, this paper thoroughly discussed the evolution and research frontiers of AIDD, which were uncovered through co-occurrence analyses of keywords using VOSviewer. Our findings highlight that AIDD is an interdisciplinary and promising research field that has the potential to revolutionize drug discovery. The comprehensive overview provided here will be of significant interest to researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers in related fields. The results emphasize the need for continued investment and collaboration in AIDD to accelerate drug discovery, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes.

From quantum field theory to the quantum method the inverse problem On the 90th anniversary of the birth of academician L.D. Faddeev

The article is dedicated to the life and work of a theoretical physicist and mathematician, a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences and RAS L.D. Faddeev (1934−2017), the formation of his scientific school. Faddeev’s works on scattering theory, quantum field theory, classical and quantum theory of integrable systems were included in the golden fund of world science and largely determined the face of modern mathematical physics. The author of the article is an employee of the Laboratory of Mathematical Problems of Physics created by L.D. Faddeev at the St. Petersburg Department of the V.A. Steklov Mathematical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences since its foundation.

Status and hotspot analysis of Qingfei Paidu Decoction for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 based on bibliometric analysis

BackgroundQingfei Paidu Decoction (QFPDD) has played an important role in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection in China. The present study aims to perform an econometric analysis and visualization of the literature on the treatment of COVID-19 with QFPDD in the Chinese databases and English databases.MethodsSix databases including such as Chinese databases CNKI, VIP, CBM, WANFANG as well as English databases PubMed, Web of Science were searched for publications related to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 with QFPDD. The institutions, authors, keywords of each publication were cisualized using the software of CiteSpace.ResultsA total of 187 literature on the prevention and treatment of novel coronavirus infection with QFPDD were included, of which 145 (77.5%) were in Chinese and 42 (22.5%) were in English. Those publications were written by 926 authors from 383 institutions. There were 78 theoretical studies (41.7%), 63 clinical studies (33.7%), and 46 basic studies (24.6%). The cooperative institutions with the core of “Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences” and “Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine Cross Academy of Science” have been formed, and two core teams with “Wang Yanping” and “Zhang Weidong” have been formed. The keyword analysis showed that the research mainly focuses on pathologic pathogenesis, clinical efficacy, adverse reactions, integrated Chinese and western medicine therapy, network pharmacology research.ConclusionQFPDD has attracted worldwide attention, mechanism research and clinical research may become a future development trend. Therefore, in-depth basic research and clinical studies with large samples and multi-center cooperation should be carried out to provide high-level evidence-based evidence for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 with QFPDD.

Progress and trends of research on mineral elements for depression

ObjectiveTo explore the research progress and trends on mineral elements and depression. MethodsAfter querying the MeSH database and referring to the search rules, the search terms were selected and optimized to obtain the target literature collection. We analyzed the general characteristics of the literature, conducted network clustering and co-occurrence analysis, and carried out a narrative review of crucial literature. ResultsBipolar disorder was a dominant topic in the retrieved literature, which saw a significant increase in 2010 and 2019–2020. Most studies focused on mineral elements, including lithium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper. The majority of journals and disciplines were in the fields of psychiatry, neuropsychology, neuropharmacology, nutrition, medical informatics, chemistry, and public health. The United States had the highest proportion in terms of paper sources, most-cited articles, high-frequency citations, frontier citations, and high centrality citation. Regarding the influence of academic institutions, the top five were King's College London, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Barcelona, INSERM, and Heidelberg University. Frontier keywords included bipolar disorder, drinking water, (neuro)inflammation, gut microbiota, and systematic analysis. Research on lithium response, magnesium supplementation, and treatment-resistant unipolar depression increased significantly after 2013. ConclusionGlobal adverse events may have indirectly driven the progress in related research. Although the literature from the United States represents an absolute majority, its influence on academic institutions is relatively weaker. Multiple pieces of evidence support the efficacy of lithium in treating bipolar disorder (BD). A series of key discoveries have led to a paradigm shift in research, leading to increasingly detailed studies on the role of magnesium, calcium, zinc, and copper in the treatment of depression. Most studies on mineral elements remain diverse and inconclusive. The potential toxicity and side effects of some elements warrant careful attention.