Apparent Connection Research Articles

Transgression Related Holocene Coastal Glendonites from Historic Sites

This study examines the occurrence of glendonite along coastlines since 1825, which have been previously referred to under different names such as Pseudogaylussite, Fundylite, and Kool Hoot across eleven sites. By utilising element ratios and 14C radiometric dating techniques, we establish a more accurate chronology for these varied sites ranging from 10 to 1 thousand years before the present (Ky BP). Sites include tidal flats, coastal barrier islands, and Wadden Sea environments. While some sites still exist, others are only known through publications and museum collections. Our research expands upon previous findings by presenting petrographic evidence that correlates with glendonite formation. Through the examination of the Olenitsa site on the Kola Peninsula, we demonstrate that marine bioclasts enclosed within concretions surrounding glendonites provide temporal context, suggesting that these outcrops were formed during a single event under changing conditions. Notably, certain sediment structures at selected sites indicate the occurrence of cold-water ice-raft storm events and the presence of drop stones. Furthermore, our paper explores the association of historic coastal sites with the formation of ikaite, highlighting the limitations of relying solely on geochemistry and isotopic analysis for interpretation. Intriguingly, we observe that pseudomorphs are abundant in specific areas but absent in adjacent regions with similar environmental, physical, and chemical conditions. No apparent connection is found between volcanic dust cloud-induced cold spells and glendonite. The distribution of coastal glendonites is more likely related to periods of climatic cooling through other means. We show that radiometric dating with 14C provides an indication of age, but the results can be erroneous due to the inclusion of older carbon sources in the analysis. The oldest locations discussed in this study are Kool Hoot (Alaska) and the river Clyde (Scotland), and the youngest glendonites discussed are from the Bay of Fundy in Canada. Occurrences from the Wadden Sea are intermediate in age and sit between the other two groups. The age of the Olenitsa site on the Russian Kola Peninsula is uncertain and still debated. We show that measuring the ratio of Mg/Ca can indicate how much the recrystallised ikaite preserved as calcite is influenced by diagenetic pore waters.

V. Der Dekretalenapparat Papst Innozenz’ IV. Ein bekannter Unbekannter

Abstract The Apparatus on the Decretals by pope Innocent IV: A known unknown. Other than the usual approach which focuses on the juridical content of the famous decretal commentary, the present paper highlights its structural and formal features. Peculiarities include unusual methods of argumentation, striking disproportions in the attention given to individual decretals, increasing frequency of gaps due to rudimentary treatment of certain decretals and complete omission of others, a program of textual criticism halfway abandoned, a rich tradition, where some 30 early editions, ca. 160 medieval manuscripts and a mysterious originale remain without apparent connections, a daunting jungle of so called additiones. The paper, which asks many questions leaving them without answers, should nevertheless help to understand the incomparable commentary.

Effect of Major Depressive Disorder on Stroke Risk and Mortality: A Systematic Review.

This study aimed to systematically review the available data on major depressive disorder (MDD) and provide insight into how it may affect stroke risk and mortality. We conducted this systematic review drawing upon research published between July 2002 and July 2022 from the following databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. After eliminating duplicates, screening the title and abstract, determining eligibility, and quality assessment, eight articles were left for utilization in this systematic review (one meta-analysis and seven non-randomized studies). There was a potentially significant association between MDD and stroke risk and mortality. The apparent connection between MDD and stroke has medical and public health relevance, given the high incidence, prevalence, and financial burden of MDD and stroke in the general populace. Therefore, it is imperative that further studies are conducted to confirm and validate this association between MDD and stroke while also elucidating the mechanism involved, investigating potential variables influencing this association, and contrasting MDD with conventional stroke risk factors to determine its predictive usefulness in comparison to traditional risk factors. This will have a significant effect on clinical practice since the information provided by such research will help guide essential targets for stroke prevention.

Detailed investigation of multi-scale fracture networks in glacially abraded crystalline bedrock at Åland Islands, Finland

Abstract. Using multiple scales of observation in studying the fractures of the bedrock increases the reliability and representativeness of the respective studies. This is because the discontinuities, i.e. the fractures, in the bedrock lack any characteristic length and instead occur within a large range of scales of approximately 10 orders of magnitude. Consequently, fracture models need to be constructed based on representative multi-scale datasets. In this paper, we combine a detailed bedrock fracture study from an extensive bedrock outcrop area with lineament interpretation using light detection and ranging (lidar) and geophysical data. Our study offers lineament data in an intermediary length range (100–500 m) missing from discrete fracture network modelling conducted at Olkiluoto, a nuclear spent-fuel facility in Finland. Our analysis provides insights into multi-scale length distributions of lineaments and fractures and into the effect of glaciations on lineament and fracture data. A common power-law model was fit to the lineament and fracture lengths with an exponent of −1.13. However, the fractures and lineaments might follow distinct power laws or other statistical distributions rather than a common one. When categorising data by orientation, we can highlight differences in length distributions possibly related to glaciations. Our analysis further includes the topological, scale-independent fracture network characteristics. For example, we noticed a trend of decreasing apparent connectivity of fracture networks as the scale of observation increases.

Reinforcement learning and artificial agency

There is an apparent connection between reinforcement learning and agency. Artificial entities controlled by reinforcement learning algorithms are standardly referred to as agents, and the mainstream view in the psychology and neuroscience of agency is that humans and other animals are reinforcement learners. This article examines this connection, focusing on artificial reinforcement learning systems and assuming that there are various forms of agency. Artificial reinforcement learning systems satisfy plausible conditions for minimal agency, and those which use models of the environment to perform forward search are capable of a form of agency which may reasonably be called action for reasons.

Magnetic hysteresis model using chained plays

A magnetic vector hysteresis model is presented using play hysterons as building blocks. The main difference compared to earlier play based magnetic hysteresis models is that instead of forming a superposition of plays with different coercivities, this work uses a set of identical plays which are connected in a chain so that the output of one play acts as input to the next. Like models using a superposition, this yields far more complex minor loop behavior than a single play is capable of. Comparisons are made with measurements on a nonoriented electric steel for BH curves and alternating and rotational losses, showing satisfactory agreement. The approach is found to have both advantages and disadvantages compared to models using superpositions of plays. The problem of determining model parameters becomes simpler and the model can be reversed so either magnetic field or magnetization may be used as known variable. On the other hand, there is no apparent connection to underlying physical processes.

Increased prevalence of the founder BRCA1 c.5309G>T and recurrent BRCA2 c.1310_1313delAAGA mutations in breast cancer families from Northerstern region of Morocco: evidence of geographical specificity and high relevance for genetic counseling

BackgroundInherited mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) confer high risks of breast and ovarian cancer. Because the contribution of BRCA1/2 germline mutations to BC in the Northeastern population of Morocco remains largely unknown, we conducted this first study to evaluate the prevalence and the phenotypic spectrum of two BRCA1/2 pathogenic mutations (the founder BRCA1 c.5309G>T and BRCA2 c.1310_1313delAAGA). This choice was also argued by the presence of an apparent specific geographical connection of these mutations and the Northeastern region of Morocco.MethodsScreening for the germline mutations c.5309G>T and BRCA2 c.1310_1313delAAGA was performed by sequencing on a total of 184 breast cancer (BC) patients originated from the Northeastern region of Morocco.The likelihood of identifying a BRCA mutation is calculated using the Eisinger scoring model. The clinical and pathologic features were compared between the BRCA-positive and BRCA-negative groups of patients. Difference in survival outcomes was compared between mutation carriers and non-carriers.ResultsBRCA1 c.5309G>T and BRCA2 c.1310_1313delAAGA are responsible for a significant proportion of all BC cases (12.5%) and at least 20% of familial BC. The screening of BRCA1/2 genes by NGS sequencing confirmed that there are no additional mutations detected among positive patients.The clinicopathological features in positive patients were in accordance with typical characteristics of BRCA pathogenic mutations. The mean features in the carriers were the early onset of the disease, familial history, triple negative status (for BRCA1 c.5309G>T) and worse prognosis in terms of overall surviving.Our study indicates that the Eisinger scoring model could be recommended to identify patients for referral to BRCA1/2 oncogenetic counseling.ConclusionOur findings suggest that BRCA1 c.5309G>T and BRCA2 c.1310_1313delAAGA mutations may have a strong founder and/or recurrent effect on breast cancer among the Northeastern Moroccan population. There contribution to breast cancer incidence is certainly substantial in this subgroup. Therefore, we believe that BRCA1 c.5309G>T and BRCA2 c.1310_1313delAAGA mutations have to be included in the array of tests aimed at revealing cancer syndrome carriers among subjects of Moroccan origin.

Leukocyte telomere length and bipolar disorder risk: evidence from Mendelian randomization analysis.

We aim to test whether leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is causally associated with the risk of bipolar disorder (BD) using the Mendelian randomization (MR) method. Results of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted with 472,174 individuals of European descent were used to screen for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related with LTL traits. Summary-level data for BD (7,647 cases and 27,303 controls) were obtained from UK Biobank. An inverse-variance-weighted (IVW) method was employed as the primary MR analysis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted via MR-Egger, maximum likelihood, MR-pleiotropy residual sum outlier (MR-PRESSO), and MR-robust adjusted profile score (MR-RAPS) methods. Finally, the MR Steiger test was utilized to validate the hypothesized relationship between exposure and outcome. Two-sample MR analysis revealed inverse relationships between genetically predicted LTL and BD risk (IVW OR [odds ratio] = 0.800, 95% CI [0.647-0.989] P = 0.039). Genetically predicted LTL exhibits a consistent connection with BD across five MR methods. Sensitivity analyses showed that the genetically determined effect of LTL on BD was stable and reliable. Furthermore, the MR Steiger test demonstrated that LTL was causal for BD rather than the opposite (P < 0.001). Our findings show that genetically determined LTL reduces the risk of BD. More research is required to clarify the mechanisms underlying this apparent causal connection. In addition, these findings may be useful for developing strategies for the prevention and treatment of BD.

Fabrication and Characterization of Polyurethane/Graphene Composite: Study on Conductivity and Thermal Properties

This study investigated the potential of graphene for improvement of properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (PU) composites in sight of thermal property, electrical conductivity, hardness, gel content and bonding spectra (FTIR). Polyurethane/graphene (PU/G) composites were synthesized by exfoliating graphene with DMF and then blending it with PEG and IPDI via in-situ addition polymerization with varying graphene concentrations (0–0.18 wt %), resulting in uniform dispersion and partial exfoliation of graphene-sheets in PU matrix. The PU/G synthesis was analyzed by IR spectra analysis, which revealed apparent urethane connections and hydrogen bonding. Glass transition temperature (Tg) property of PU exceeded by around 55 % with the addition of graphene, and it improved steadily as graphene concentration increased. 7B pencil hardness replicated the hardness of the PU/G2, indicating an improvement in hardness. The inclusion of graphene had less of an influence on the gel content of PU, with a proof showing that all of the results gel content was between 80 – 90 %. With the addition of 0.088 % graphene to PU, the electric conductivity improved to 76 %. The composite's conductivity was improved due to graphene's capacity to conduct electricity and the covalent link between PU and graphene.

Article: A Study of Vietnam’s Double Tax Treaties: Patterns of Treaty Growth and Shifting Treaty Policy

This article reviews the growth of Vietnam’s tax treaties and shifts in its treaty policies over the thirty-year period since the country created opportunities to attract foreign investment. It follows the incorporation of the Model Tax Treaties of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN) into its bilateral treaties and considers the limited apparent connection between treaties and foreign direct investment (FDI). A particularly interesting finding is the extent to which Vietnam’s treaties from the outset favoured the use of the UN Model provisions with respect to the definition of permanent establishments (PEs) and capital gains on the disposal of immovable property, particularly in its treaties with OECD members. This is ironic as measures from the OECD Model precedents are more likely to be found in treaties with non-OECD members. Nevertheless, it is clear that the treaties overall favour the allocation of taxing rights to Vietnam as a capital importing jurisdiction. These findings, when considered along with the country’s success at attracting FDI, suggest that developing economies can retain taxing rights and attract foreign investment at the same time. OECD Model treaty, UN Model treaty, tax treaties and foreign direct investment, transitional economy, evolving treaty policy

The Order of Nine Angles: Cosmology, Practice & Movement

The Order of Nine Angles (O9A)—a trans-national esoteric Satanist movement—is of growing interest to researchers and law enforcement because of its apparent connections to violent extremist individuals and groups. This article presents a primary source-driven exploration of O9A’s cosmology, practice, and movement intended to inform objective discussions about the movement’s nexus to violent extremism, and to help readers better understand the terms and concepts contained in O9A texts. At the heart of O9A’s outlook lies a perspective on human and spiritual evolution holding that the true ethos of Western civilization is pagan but has been corrupted by Judeo-Christian values. O9A thus believes Western society is irredeemable in its present form and seeks to inculcate “heretical” acts that can break the shackles of Judeo-Christian constructs and contribute to societal breakdown. As this article establishes, O9A’s philosophy and practice have meaningful overlaps with violent extremism but clearly identifiable acts of violent extremism are less easy to discern at the movement level.

Sphingolipid Long-Chain Base Signaling in Compatible and Non-Compatible Plant–Pathogen Interactions in Arabidopsis

The chemical diversity of sphingolipids in plants allows the assignment of specific roles to special molecular species. These roles include NaCl receptors for glycosylinositolphosphoceramides or second messengers for long-chain bases (LCBs), free or in their acylated forms. Such signaling function has been associated with plant immunity, with an apparent connection to mitogen-activated protein kinase 6 (MPK6) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). This work used in planta assays with mutants and fumonisin B1 (FB1) to generate varying levels of endogenous sphingolipids. This was complemented with in planta pathogenicity tests using virulent and avirulent Pseudomonas syringae strains. Our results indicate that the surge of specific free LCBs and ceramides induced by FB1 or an avirulent strain trigger a biphasic ROS production. The first transient phase is partially produced by NADPH oxidase, and the second is sustained and is related to programmed cell death. MPK6 acts downstream of LCB buildup and upstream of late ROS and is required to selectively inhibit the growth of the avirulent but not the virulent strain. Altogether, these results provide evidence that a LCB- MPK6- ROS signaling pathway contributes differentially to the two forms of immunity described in plants, upregulating the defense scheme of a non-compatible interaction.

The analysis of a cluster of koi herpesvirus disease outbreaks in intensive carp aquaculture using molecular and conventional epidemiology.

The analysis of a cluster of koi herpesvirus disease outbreaks in intensive carp aquaculture using molecular and conventional epidemiology.

In silico profiling of nonsynonymous SNPs of fat mass and obesity-associated gene: possible impacts on the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

BackgroundNonalcoholic fatty liver, or NAFLD, is the most common chronic liver ailment. It is characterized by excessive fat deposition in hepatocytes of individuals who consume little or no alcohol and are unaffected by specific liver damaging factors. It is also associated with extrahepatic manifestations such as chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and sleep apnea. The global burden of NAFLD is increasing at an alarming rate. However, no pharmacologically approved drugs against NAFLD are available owing to their complex pathophysiology. Genome-wide association studies have uncovered SNPs in the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) that are robustly associated with obesity and higher BMI. The prevalence of NAFLD increases in parallel with the increasing prevalence of obesity. Since FTO might play a crucial role in NAFLD development, the current study identified five potentially deleterious mutations from 383 ns-SNPs in the human FTO gene using various in silico tools.MethodsThis study aims to identify potentially deleterious nonsynonymous SNPs (ns-SNPs) employing various in silico tools. Additionally, molecular modeling approaches further studied the structural changes caused by identified SNPs. Moreover, molecular dynamics studies finally investigated the binding potentials of the phytochemicals resveratrol, rosmarinic acid, and capsaicin with different mutant forms of FTO.ResultsThe current investigation has five potentially deleterious mutations from 383 ns-SNPs in the human FTO gene using various in silico tools. The present study identified five nsSNPs of the human gene FTO, Gly103Asp, Arg96Pro, Tyr295Cys, and Arg322Gln, with an apparent connection to the disease condition. Modulation of demethylation activity by phytomolecule scanning explains the hepatoprotective action of molecules. The current investigation also suggested that predicted mutations did not affect the binding ability of three polyphenols: rosamarinic acid, resveratrol, and capsaicin.ConclusionThis study showed that the predicted mutations in FTO did not affect the binding of three polyphenols. Thus, these three molecules can significantly aid drug development against FTO and NAFLD.

Mafia Borderland: Narratives, Traits, and Expectations of Italian-American Mafias in Ontario and the Niagara Region

ABSTRACT This paper will investigate narratives, traits, and expectations of Italian-American mafias in North America. The specific case study is the area of Niagara, at the border between New York State, USA and Ontario, Canada. In this context, the artricle will mainly explore narratives and traits of so-called “mafia” families in the city of Hamilton, and their apparent connections with other “mafia” groups on the other side of the borderland, in Buffalo and in Toronto. Through qualitative design adapted from grounded theory methodology with mixed data, including news stories, investigative files and interviews, this article shows how mafias in the borderland of Niagara are conceptualised as hybrid groups, employing different identity “flags”. Mafias appear isomorphic since they imitate each other's structures and (try to) obey traditional mafia rules, to adapt and survive. In line with GT methodology, this paper finally explores an emerging theoretical category, that of the mafia borderland. As a space and identity, mafia borderland helps to sketch traits and expectations of mafia groups in border areas.

Monkeypox virus: A potential concern for Pakistan?

Dear Madam, the sudden emergence of the monkeypox virus occurred in 1970, after which it firmly anchored its roots in 11 countries in the African region. The virus belongs to the same genus as the variola and cowpox virus, the Orthopoxvirus.(1) Monkeypox is not as virulent as smallpox and usually clears up on its own without treatment, with symptoms occurring over 2-4 weeks. The disease ensues following viral entry via pharyngeal and intradermal routes, after which it spreads from the site of entry to local lymph nodes. (2)The infective period is classified into an invasive period which is typified by swelling of lymph nodes, severe anaesthesia, and headache lasting for 5 days; and the second period marked by dermatitis lasting for three days. However, monkeypox does not spread easily from person to person. Wearing clothes worn by someone else, sexual contact with an infected person, inhalation of contaminated droplets, and close contact with open wounds can eventually transmit the virus from one person to another.(1) Currently, there has been an outbreak of the monkeypox virus with nearly 200 cases being reported in more than 20 countries, the majority of which are non-African with Europe being the epicenter of this outbreak. The fact that monkeypox is detected in people with no apparent connection to one another and that a significant number of cases are being reported in homosexual men has been alarming.(3)Although no case of monkeypox is reported yet in Pakistan, NIH has placed Pakistan on high alert against the virus in light of cases being reported in non-endemic countries. Pakistan lacks facilities for diagnostic tests for the virus. However, efforts are being made to forestall an outbreak with arrangements made to screen the inbound passengers and declare a patient “suspected” based on their symptoms until proper diagnostic kits arrive in the country.(4) Vaccina vaccine, which proved to be the cornerstone in eradicating the smallpox virus, offered a coincidental immunity against monkeypox too. However, smallpox was termed eradicated in 1980 and the subsequent cessation of the smallpox vaccine means the supply of these vaccines is scarce. Current treatment for monkeypox include the use of antivirals such as Tecovirimat and Brincidofovir; (5) and the use of FDA approved attenuated live virus vaccine, the JYNNEOSTM.(1) The need of the hour deems it imperative that we as a community work in unison to prevent an outbreak in Pakistan. ---Continue

Flat Places: Lincolnshire and science

Flat Places: <sup /> Lincolnshire and science

Unraveling a Medical Mystery: The Identity of ‘Geredeli’ ?shak b. Murad, a Physician of Late Fourteenth-Century Rum

"Geredeli" İshak b. Murad—the author of the late fourteenth-century Anatolian Turkish text Edviye-i Müfrede (Simple Remedies)—has long been lauded by Turkish scholars as one of the earliest recorded contributors to the development of medical writing in Rum. Until now, very little has been known about the author other than an apparent connection to Gerede. This article presents compelling evidence that reveals details of the physician's identity and later life, based on a previously overlooked and skillfully illuminated Persian materia medica in the Chester Beatty also authored by İshak (al-Majmūʿa al-mubāriziyya, Per 317).

Evaluation of noise regression techniques in resting-state fMRI studies using data of 434 older adults.

Subject motion is a well-known confound in resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and the analysis of functional connectivity. Consequently, several clean-up strategies have been established to minimize the impact of subject motion. Physiological signals in response to cardiac activity and respiration are also known to alter the apparent rs-fMRI connectivity. Comprehensive comparisons of common noise regression techniques showed that the "Independent Component Analysis based strategy for Automatic Removal of Motion Artifacts" (ICA-AROMA) was a preferred pre-processing technique for teenagers and adults. However, motion and physiological noise characteristics may differ substantially for older adults. Here, we present a comprehensive comparison of noise-regression techniques for older adults from a large multi-site clinical trial of exercise and intensive pharmacological vascular risk factor reduction. The Risk Reduction for Alzheimer's Disease (rrAD) trial included hypertensive older adults (60-84 years old) at elevated risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We compared the performance of censoring, censoring combined with global signal regression, non-aggressive and aggressive ICA-AROMA, as well as the Spatially Organized Component Klassifikator (SOCK) on the rs-fMRI baseline scans from 434 rrAD subjects. All techniques were rated based on network reproducibility, network identifiability, edge activity, spatial smoothness, and loss of temporal degrees of freedom (tDOF). We found that non-aggressive ICA-AROMA did not perform as well as the other four techniques, which performed table with marginal differences, demonstrating the validity of these techniques. Considering reproducibility as the most important factor for longitudinal studies, given low false-positive rates and a better preserved, more cohesive temporal structure, currently aggressive ICA-AROMA is likely the most suitable noise regression technique for rs-fMRI studies of older adults.

Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis of Effects of CRISPR/Cas9 in Komagataella phaffii: A Budding Yeast in Distress.

The industrially important non-conventional yeast Komagataella phaffii suffers from low rates of homologous recombination, making site specific genetic engineering tedious. Therefore, genome editing using CRISPR/Cas represents a simple and efficient alternative. To characterize on- and off-target mutations caused by CRISPR/Cas9 followed by non-homologous end joining repair, we chose a diverse set of CRISPR/Cas targets and conducted whole genome sequencing on 146 CRISPR/Cas9 engineered single colonies. We compared the outcomes of single target CRISPR transformations to double target experiments. Furthermore, we examined the extent of possible large deletions by targeting a large genomic region, which is likely to be non-essential. The analysis of on-target mutations showed an unexpectedly high number of large deletions and chromosomal rearrangements at the CRISPR target loci. We also observed an increase of on-target structural variants in double target experiments as compared to single target experiments. Targeting of two loci within a putatively non-essential region led to a truncation of chromosome 3 at the target locus in multiple cases, causing the deletion of 20 genes and several ribosomal DNA repeats. The identified de novo off-target mutations were rare and randomly distributed, with no apparent connection to unspecific CRISPR/Cas9 off-target binding sites.