Threshold Frequency Research Articles

GABA and Glx predict EEG responses of visual sensitivity in autism.

The mechanisms underlying atypical sensory processing in autism remain to be elucidated, but research points toward a role of the glutamatergic/GABAergic balance. To investigate the potential relationships between visual sensitivity and its molecular correlates in autism, we combined data from electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies. Twenty autistic adults and sixteen neurotypical adults (NT) participated in both an EEG study assessing visual sensitivity (Sapey-Triomphe et al., Autism Research, 2023) and in an MRS study measuring Glx and GABA+ concentrations in the occipital cortex (Sapey-Triomphe et al., Molecular Autism, 2021). These studies revealed no group differences in neural detection thresholds or in Glx/GABA levels in the occipital cortex. Neural detection thresholds for contrast and spatial frequency (SF) were determined using fast periodic visual stimulations and neural frequency tagging. In the present study, Glx/GABA+ concentrations in the occipital cortex and neural detection thresholds did not differ between groups. Interestingly, lower Glx/GABA+ ratios were associated with lower contrast detection thresholds and higher SF detection thresholds. These correlations were also significant within the neurotypical and autistic groups. This report suggests that the Glx/GABA balance regulates visual detection thresholds across individuals. In both autistic and NTs, lower Glx/GABA ratios in the occipital cortex allow for better detection of visual inputs at the neural level. This study sheds light on the neurochemical underpinnings of visual sensitivity in autism and warrants further investigation.

Tumor analysis of MMR genes in Lynch-like syndrome: Challenges associated with results interpretation.

Up to 70% of suspected Lynch syndrome patients harboring MMR deficient tumors lack identifiable germline pathogenic variants in MMR genes, being referred to as Lynch-like syndrome (LLS). Previous studies have reported biallelic somatic MMR inactivation in a variable range of LLS-associated tumors. Moreover, translating tumor testing results into patient management remains controversial. Our aim is to assess the challenges associated with the implementation of tumoral MMR gene testing in routine workflows. Here, we present the clinical characterization of 229 LLS patients. MMR gene testing was performed in 39 available tumors, and results were analyzed using two variant allele frequency (VAF) thresholds (≥5% and ≥10%). More biallelic somatic events were identified at VAF ≥ 5% than ≥10% (35.9% vs. 25.6%), although the rate of nonconcordant results regarding immunohistochemical pattern increased (30.8% vs. 20.5%). Interpretation difficulties question the current utility of the identification of MMR somatic hits in the diagnostic algorithm of suspected LS cases.

Influence of Two-Frequency Rotational Modulation on the Dynamics of the Rayleigh–Bénard Convection in Water-Based Nanoliquids with Either AA7072 or AA7075 Nanoparticles

The effect of time-periodic two-frequency rotation modulation on Rayleigh–Bénard convection in water with either AA7072 or AA7075 nanoparticles is investigated. The single-phase description of the Khanafer–Vafai–Lightstone model is used for modeling the nanoliquids. An asymptotic expansion procedure is adopted in the case of the linear stability to obtain the correction (due to modulation) to the Rayleigh number at marginal stability of unmodulated convection. A nonlinear regime of convection is considered with a nonautonomous generalized Lorenz model as the governing equation. The method of multiscales is then employed to obtain the coupled nonautonomous Ginzburg–Landau equations with cubic nonlinearity from the Lorenz model. These equations are presented in the phase-amplitude form and the amplitude is used to quantify the heat transport. The modulation amplitude is considered to be small (of order less than unity) and moderate frequencies of modulation are considered. We found that there is a threshold frequency beyond which the system behavior reverses. At frequencies below the threshold, the mean Nusselt number increases with an increase in the amplitude of modulation while an opposite influence is seen for values above the threshold. Such a behavior is a consequence of what is analogously seen in the case of the critical Rayleigh number. The influence of two-frequency modulation is more pronounced on the results of the linear and nonlinear regimes compared to that of the single-frequency one. The heat transport is enhanced due to the presence of dilute concentration of suspended nanoparticles (either AA7072 or AA7075 nanoalloys) in water. The influence of nanoparticles is to modify the threshold values generating chaos but it does not qualitatively alter the dynamical behavior of the system. The plots of Lyapunov exponents reveal that there is no possibility of hyper-chaos in the generalized Lorenz model when there is a rotational modulation.

Rubber-sand infilled soilbags as seismic isolation cushions: experimental validation

This study proposes the use of soil bags filled with a rubber sand mixture (SFRSM) to address the issue of weak stability associated with rubber-sand layers for seismic isolation. To evaluate the dynamic characteristics of the SFRSM, large-scale cyclic simple shear tests were conducted to investigate the effects of rubber content, vertical pressure, shear displacement amplitude, fill percentage, and laying scheme. Furthermore, shaking table tests were carried out to evaluate the impact of vibration intensity and frequency on the seismic isolation of SFRSM layers. The results indicate that (1) Compared to the rubber-sand layer, the SFRSM exhibits a lower shear modulus and higher damping, indicating its potential for greater seismic isolation and energy dissipation. (2) The dynamic characteristics of the SFRSM were significantly influenced by the fill percentage and laying scheme, suggesting that an effective isolator capable of withstanding various external conditions could be developed. (3) The isolating effect of the SFRSM layer is attributed to its ability to dampen high-frequency vibration components effectively. Additionally, the threshold frequency required to trigger attenuation decreases with an increasing number of SFRSM layers. In summary, these experimental results provide evidence that the proposed innovative strategy enhances the strength and vertical stiffness of the original rubber-sand layer, making it well-suited for seismic design applications in low-rise buildings in less-developed regions. Highlights 1. A novel seismic isolation strategy using the soil bags filled with rubber-sand mixture (SFRSM) was proposed. 2. Large-scale cyclic simple shear tests were conducted to evaluate the dynamic properties of SFRSM. 3. The influence of key parameters on the dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio of SFRSM was analysed. 4. The proposed strategy is well suited for the seismic design of low-rise buildings in less-developed regions.

Abstract 5068: Clonal Hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) in patients with advanced solid tumors treated with immune checkpoint blockers (ICB) as monotherapy: Analysis of the PREMIS study

Abstract Introduction: Clonal Hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is a clonal expansion of mutations affecting genes involved in hematologic malignancies in patients without a hematological disease per se. It has emerged as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular events via skewing innate immune cells towards a pro-inflammatory state. Recently studies have shown its potential detrimental impact on overall survival in patients treated with chemotherapy. However, its impact on patients treated with immune checkpoint blockers in monotherapy remains unclear. Objective: Our aim is to evaluate CHIP prevalence in a prospective cohort of patients treated with ICB for advanced solid tumors and its impact on patient outcomes. Materials and methods: We performed a Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) panel of 74-genes dedicated to hematological alterations on DNA extracted from whole blood collected before first administration of an ICB for an advanced solid tumor, within the PREMIS trial (NCT03984318). CHIP prevalence was assessed according to a variant allele frequency (VAF) threshold ≥ 2%. Results: We included 127 pts in the analysis; 88 pts (69%) were male with a median age of 70 years [range 37-100]. Most common tumor locations were skin (29%), genitourinary (25%) and lung (19%). ICB setting was 1°L in 40% of patients; 2°L in 43%; > 3°L in 17%, and the most used ICB was Nivolumab in 39% of patients. At least 1 CHIP mutation was found in 55 pts (43%). The most frequent mutations were found in DNMT3A (40%), TET2 (18%) and PPM1D (13%). Co-mutations were found in 20% of patients. Median PFS was 7.7 months (m) for CHIPm patients compared to 5.7 m in non-CHIPm patients (p=2.2) and median OS was 16.2 m in CHIPm patients compared to 14.9 m in non-CHIPm patients (p= .5). No pts developed hematological disease during the follow up. Conclusion: CHIP is commonly found in pts with solid tumors, with a prevalence in our cohort of 43% with no statistical significance neither in PFS nor in OS in the CHIP-mutated population. Citation Format: Julieta Elena Rodriguez, François Xavier Danlos, Alicia Larive, Aurelien Marabelle, Yohann Loriot, Caroline Robert, Laurence Albiges, Maxime Frelaut, Mihaela Aldea, Benjamin Besse, Michel Ducreux, Caroline Even, Jean Baptiste Micol, Santiago Ponce, Christophe Marzac, Nathalie Chaput, Christophe Massard, Capucine Baldini. Clonal Hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) in patients with advanced solid tumors treated with immune checkpoint blockers (ICB) as monotherapy: Analysis of the PREMIS study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 5068.

Abstract 977: Germline BRCA1/2 mutations detected by circulating tumor DNA testing in breast cancer patients: A retrospective mutiinstitutional analysis

Abstract Background: The use of circulating tumor (ct) DNA testing allows to detect resistant and actionable somatic alterations and it could be associated with the incidental identification of germline mutations. An univocal variant allele frequency (VAF) threshold to distinguish germinal form somatic mutations has not been assessed yet. We aimed to correlate BRCA1/2 ctdNA detected mutations with germline mutational status to determine potential VAF cutoff. Materials and methods:We retrospectively analyzed the incidence of both somatic (s) and germinal (g) BRCA1/2 alterations in a multiinstitutional retrospective breast cancer (BC) cohort to assess the VAF threshold for the likelihood of germline mutations’ detection by ctDNA next-generation sequencing (Guardant 360) testing. Clinical variables were analyzed using descriptive analyses and receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the VAF cutoff. Results: Two hundred and fourteen patients (pts) with sBRCA1/2 mutations (including variant of uncertain significant and synonymous) detected by ctDNA testing, referred to the enrolling centers between January 2015 to May 2023 were included in the analysis. The median age at diagnosis was 50 years old (Interquartile range (IQR)43,5-61.5), 43% had a family history of cancer. Hormone receptor positive/HER2 negative was the most represented subtype (68%) followed by the HER2 positive (16%) and triple negative (16%) ones. At ctDNA baseline, 95.8% of pts had a metastatic disease; the main sites of metastases were bone (67.4%) and visceral (59.3%). Ninetyfour (43.9%) and 137 (64%) pts had a sBRCA1 and sBRCA2 alterations respectively, while 17 (7.9%) had a co-mutation in BRCA1 and BRCA2. The mean VAF value for sBRCA1 alterations was 10.1% (standard deviation (SD) 19.5%, range [0.04%-84.3%]) while for sBRCA2 alterations was 10.8% (SD 18.9%, range [0.21%-80.3%]). The germinal testing, performed per standard of care, was available for 100 pts (46.7%). Among these, 42 (42%) had at least a pathogenic variant detected. A gBRCA1 mutation was present in 11 (11%) pts while 25 (25%) had a gBRCA2 mutation. Comparing the somatic and germinal testing, 9/100 pts had a concordance for BRCA1 detection, the 2 discordant cases had both a low allele frequency sBRCA2 alterations; the concordance for BRCA2 detection was instead 100%. An optimal cutoff of 38.4% (AUC 0.98) for BRCA1 and 19.5% (AUC 0.96) for BRCA2 was assessed by ROC analysis as the likelihood of a germline meaning of a somatic mutation detected by ctDNA analysis. Conclusion: The identification of BRCA1/2 alterations in ctDNA could guide the use of germline testing. The VAF cutoff identified for the likelihood of a germinal mutation is lower than expected, suggesting that a wider population should be screened for germinal mutation with relevant impact on the therapeutic choices and family screening. Citation Format: Letizia Pontolillo, Carolina Reduzzi, Andrew A. Davis, Arielle J. Medford, Annika Putur, Lorenzo Gerratana, Katherine Clifton, Whitney L. Hensing, Marko Velimirovic, Surbhi Warrior, Mara S. Serafini, Eleonora Nicolò, Laura Munoz-Arcos, Jeannine Donahue, Charles S. Dai, Jennifer C. Keenan, Amir Behdad, William J. Gradishar, Diana Giannarelli, Emilio Bria, Cynthia X. Ma, Aditya Bardia, Massimo Cristofanilli. Germline BRCA1/2 mutations detected by circulating tumor DNA testing in breast cancer patients: A retrospective mutiinstitutional analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 977.

Identification of apolipoprotein B-reactive CDR3 motifs allows tracking of atherosclerosis-related memory CD4+T cells in multiple donors.

Atherosclerosis is a major pathological condition that underlies many cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Its etiology involves breach of tolerance to self, leading to clonal expansion of autoreactive apolipoprotein B (APOB)-reactive CD4+T cells that correlates with clinical CVD. The T-cell receptor (TCR) sequences that mediate activation of APOB-specific CD4+T cells are unknown. In a previous study, we had profiled the hypervariable complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) of CD4+T cells that respond to six immunodominant APOB epitopes in most donors. Here, we comprehensively analyze this dataset of 149,065 APOB-reactive and 199,211 non-reactive control CDR3s from six human leukocyte antigen-typed donors. We identified 672 highly expanded (frequency threshold > 1.39E-03) clones that were significantly enriched in the APOB-reactive group as compared to the controls (log10 odds ratio ≥1, Fisher's test p < 0.01). Analysis of 114,755 naïve, 91,001 central memory (TCM) and 29,839 effector memory (TEM) CDR3 sequences from the same donors revealed that APOB+ clones can be traced to the complex repertoire of unenriched blood T cells. The fraction of APOB+ clones that overlapped with memory CDR3s ranged from 2.2% to 46% (average 16.4%). This was significantly higher than their overlap with the naïve pool, which ranged from 0.7% to 2% (average 1.36%). CDR3 motif analysis with the machine learning-based in-silico tool, GLIPHs (grouping of lymphocyte interactions by paratope hotspots), identified 532 APOB+ motifs. Analysis of naïve and memory CDR3 sequences with GLIPH revealed that ~40% (209 of 532) of these APOB+ motifs were enriched in the memory pool. Network analysis with Cytoscape revealed extensive sharing of the memory-affiliated APOB+ motifs across multiple donors. We identified six motifs that were present in TCM and TEM CDR3 sequences from >80% of the donors and were highly enriched in the APOB-reactive TCR repertoire. The identified APOB-reactive expanded CD4+T cell clones and conserved motifs can be used to annotate and track human atherosclerosis-related autoreactive CD4+T cells and measure their clonal expansion.

Phenomenology of addictive craving: recognition and clinical utility

Addiction with its “craving” is a major health problem, world wide. It is useful toknow features of addictive “craving” to distinguish it from desire. These include its instrumentalfocus, its intensity, its imperative nature, its urgency, its salience, and its sense of necessity. Associated emotions include anticipated joy; anger, dysphoria, and fear, in deprivation; and desperation. Associated executive dysfunctions include distortions, rationalizations, preoccupations, ego syntonicity, poor judgment, loss of volition, and lack insight. Differences from other desires for drugs include those desired for pleasure, for social function, and for medical or psychiatric need. Addiction “craving” needs to be distinguished from medical need, psychological dependence, and physical dependence. The biology of addictive “craving” drives itas a motivational force unto itself. The risks of developing addiction include past addiction, developmental factors, social factors, psychological factors, impulsivity, constitutional factors. But addiction requires that the patient reach a threshold of quantity and frequency in use. Someclinical considerations include a patient’s reluctance to disclose “craving,” the resort to illegitimate sources, the need for sound monitoring when medically prescribed

The structural, stability, electronic, optical and thermodynamic properties of MoX2 (X= S, Se, and Te) under hydrostatic pressures: a plasmon approach and first-principle study.

The new equations have been developed for the structural and electronic properties using the plasmon calculations for the first time for 2-D MoX2 structures. Literature shows still an extensive study is required on the stability and optical properties of MoX2 under different hydrostatic pressures and thermal properties under different temperatures using the first principles, for electronic industrial applications. The stability is analyzed using binding energy and phonon calculations. The phase transition of metallization of MoX2 is discussed using band structure calculations under different hydrostatic pressures. The calculated work function shows the photoemission starts from the threshold frequency of 4.189×104 cm-1, 3.184×104 cm-1, and 3.651×104 cm-1, respectively, for MoS2, MoSe2, and MoTe2 materials. The optical properties such as refractive index n(0), and static dielectric permittivity ε(0) for three successive materials are calculated under different hydrostatic pressures, applicable for optoelectronic applications. The calculated theoretical and computational values agree well with each other and also agree with reported and experimental values. Some of the values are calculated for the first time. The theoretical equations are derived using the molecular weight, effective valence electrons, and density of molecule of MoX2 structures. The simulation work is performed using GGA-PBE approximation in the CASTEP simulation package with DFT+D semi-empirical dispersion correction. An ultra-soft pseudopotential representation calculates the electronic and optical properties with a finite basis set kinetic energy cut-off of 381.0 eV. Each geometry has been optimized using Broyden, Fletcher, Goldfarb, and Shanno's (BFGS) algorithm for 100 iterations with a fixed basis quality variable cell method and finite electronic minimization parameters. The phonon calculations were performed using TDFT with a kinetic energy cut of 460 eV in a norm-conserving linear response method. The interpolation with a finite dispersion quality and q-vector grid spacing is performed.

Probing atmospheric waves and the middle atmosphere dynamics using infrasound

Infrasound is defined as pressure fluctuations with frequencies between acoustic cut-off (5 min) and human-hearing frequency threshold of sound (16 Hz). Low-frequent infrasonic waves can travel long distances, ranging from hundreds to thousands of kilometres. The middle atmosphere dynamics mainly control the presence of atmospheric waveguides where energy transmission loss is low. These properties are utilized to record atmospheric explosions at highly sensitive pressure sensors (micro-barometers). A global network of 60 infrasound stations was designed as part of the International Monitoring System (IMS) for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. IMS infrasound stations can record small pressure fluctuations of a few millipascals, which can originate from numerous atmospheric infrasound sources, including meteorological phenomena. In this study, the capability of IMS infrasound arrays for capturing a broad spectrum of atmospheric wave phenomena is highlighted; for instance, mountain-associated infrasonic waves show features that seem to be correlated with orographic gravity waves. Moreover, the interaction of ocean waves produces quasi-continuous infrasound, so-called microbaroms. Infrasonic signatures from microbaroms can be used for probing the middle atmosphere dynamics and assessing atmospheric circulation models. For opening the unique global infrasound network of the IMS for meteorological applications, we also present open-access BGR infrasound data products of two decades and highlight selected case studies.

An FSCEEMD method for downhole weak SNR signal extraction of near-bit attitude parameters

In practice, the near-bit drilling tool confronts with strong vibrations and high-speed rotation. Therein the original signal amplitude of the tool attitude measurements is relatively feeble, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is exceptionally low. To handle this issue, this paper proposes a weak SNR signal extraction method, frequency selecting complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition, which is based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition combining with complementary noise and frequency selecting. This method firstly adds different positive and negative pairs of auxiliary white noise to the original near-bit weak SNR signal, secondly adopts empirical mode decomposition on each pair of noise-added signals, then performs ensemble averaging on the obtained multiple sets of intrinsic mode function (IMF) to output more stable IMF of each order and set suitable weights according to designed frequency threshold, and finally reconstructs the original useful signal through weighted summing IMFs. Simulation results show that the extraction accuracy of well inclination angle ranges about ± 0.51°, and the extraction accuracy of tool face angle ranges about ± 1.35°, and meanwhile experimental results are provided compared with other advanced methods, which verifies the effectiveness of our method.

Occupational noise and hypertension in Southern Chinese workers: a large occupational population-based study.

An increasing number of original studies suggested that occupational noise exposure might be associated with the risk of hypertension, but the results remain inconsistent and inconclusive. In addition, the attributable fraction (AF) of occupational noise exposure has not been well quantified. We aimed to conduct a large-scale occupational population-based study to comprehensively investigate the relationship between occupational noise exposure and blood pressure and different hypertension subtypes and to estimate the AF for hypertension burden attributable to occupational noise exposure. A total of 715,135 workers aged 18-60 years were included in this study based on the Key Occupational Diseases Surveillance Project of Guangdong in 2020. Multiple linear regression was performed to explore the relationships of occupational noise exposure status, the combination of occupational noise exposure and binaural high frequency threshold on average (BHFTA) with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationshipassociation between occupational noise exposure status, occupational noise exposure combined with BHFTA and hypertension. Furthermore, the attributable risk (AR) was calculated to estimate the hypertension burden attributed to occupational exposure to noise. The prevalence of hypertension among occupational noise-exposed participants was 13·7%. SBP and DBP were both significantly associated with the occupational noise exposure status and classification of occupational noise exposure combined with BHFTA in the crude and adjusted models (all P < 0·0001). Compared with workers without occupational noise exposure, the risk of hypertension was 50% greater among those exposed to occupational noise in the adjusted model (95% CI 1·42-1·58). For participants of occupational noise exposed with BHFTA normal, and occupational noise exposed with BHFTA elevated, the corresponding risks of hypertension were 48% (1·41-1·56) and 56% (1·46-1·63) greater than those of occupational noise non-exposed with BHFTA normal, respectively. A similar association was found in isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and prehypertension. Subgroup analysis by sex and age showed that the positive associations between occupational noise exposure and hypertension remained statistically significant across all subgroups (all P < 0.001). Significant interactions between occupational noise status, classification of occupational noise exposure combined with BHFTA, and age in relation to hypertension risk were identified (all P for interaction < 0.001). The associations of occupational noise status, classification of occupational noise exposure combined with BHFTA and hypertension were most pronounced in the 18-29 age groups. The AR% of occupational noise exposure for hypertension was 28·05% in the final adjusted model. Occupational noise exposure was positively associated with blood pressure levels and the prevalence of hypertension, ISH, and prehypertension in a large occupational population-based study. A significantly increased risk of hypertension was found even in individuals with normal BHFTA exposed to occupational noise, with a further elevated risk observed in those with elevated BHFTA. Our findings provide epidemiological evidence for key groups associated with occupational noise exposure and hypertension, and more than one-fourth of hypertension cases would have been prevented by avoiding occupational noise exposure.

Wind-Speed-Adaptive Resonant Piezoelectric Energy Harvester for Offshore Wind Energy Collection.

This paper proposes a wind-speed-adaptive resonant piezoelectric energy harvester for offshore wind energy collection (A-PEH). The device incorporates a coil spring structure, which sets the maximum threshold of the output rotational frequency, allowing the A-PEH to maintain a stable output rotational frequency over a broader range of wind speeds. When the maximum output excitation frequency of the A-PEH falls within the sub-resonant range of the piezoelectric beam, the device becomes wind-speed-adaptive, enabling it to operate in a sub-resonant state over a wider range of wind speeds. Offshore winds exhibit an annual average speed exceeding 5.5 m/s with significant variability. Drawing from the characteristics of offshore winds, a prototype of the A-PEH was fabricated. The experimental findings reveal that in wind speed environments, the device has a startup wind speed of 4 m/s, and operates in a sub-resonant state when the wind speed exceeds 6 m/s. At this point, the A-PEH achieves a maximum open-circuit voltage of 40 V and an average power of 0.64 mW. The wind-speed-adaptive capability of the A-PEH enhances its ability to harness offshore wind energy, showcasing its potential applications in offshore wind environments.

Development of the What Matters 2 Adults (WM2A) wellbeing measure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults

PurposeAs wellbeing is culturally bound, wellbeing measures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must be culturally relevant and grounded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values and preferences. We describe the development of a nationally-relevant and culturally grounded wellbeing measure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults: the What Matters to Adults (WM2A) measure. MethodsWe used a mixed methods approach to measure development, combining Indigenist methodologies and psychometric methods. Candidate items were derived through a large national qualitative study. Think-aloud interviews (n = 17) were conducted to assess comprehension, acceptability, and wording of candidate items. Two national surveys collected data on the item pool (n = 312, n = 354). Items were analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and item response theory (IRT) to test dimensionality, local dependence and item fit. A Collaborative Yarning approach ensured Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices were privileged throughout. ResultsFifty candidate items were developed, refined, and tested. Using EFA, an eight factor model was developed. All items met pre-specified thresholds for maximum endorsement frequencies, and floor and ceiling effects; no item redundancy was identified. Ten items did not meet thresholds for aggregate adjacent endorsement frequencies. During Collaborative Yarning, six items were removed based on low factor loadings (<0.4) and twelve due to conceptual overlap, high correlations with other items, endorsement frequencies, and/or low IRT item level information. Several items were retained for content validity. The final measure includes 32 items across 10 domains (Balance & control; Hope & resilience; Caring for others; Culture & Country; Spirit & identity; Feeling valued; Connection with others; Access; Racism & worries; Pride & strength). ConclusionsThe unique combination of Indigenist and psychometric methodologies to develop WM2A ensures a culturally and psychometrically robust measure, relevant across a range of settings and applications.

Rat superior colliculus encodes the transition between static and dynamic vision modes

The visual continuity illusion involves a shift in visual perception from static to dynamic vision modes when the stimuli arrive at high temporal frequency, and is critical for recognizing objects moving in the environment. However, how this illusion is encoded across the visual pathway remains poorly understood, with disparate frequency thresholds at retinal, cortical, and behavioural levels suggesting the involvement of other brain areas. Here, we employ a multimodal approach encompassing behaviour, whole-brain functional MRI, and electrophysiological measurements, for investigating the encoding of the continuity illusion in rats. Behavioural experiments report a frequency threshold of 18±2 Hz. Functional MRI reveal that superior colliculus signals transition from positive to negative at the behaviourally-driven threshold, unlike thalamic and cortical areas. Electrophysiological recordings indicate that these transitions are underpinned by neural activation/suppression. Lesions in the primary visual cortex reveal this effect to be intrinsic to the superior colliculus (under a cortical gain effect). Our findings highlight the superior colliculus’ crucial involvement in encoding temporal frequency shifts, especially the change from static to dynamic vision modes.

Association between sleep-related phenotypes and gut microbiota: a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

An increasing body of evidence suggests a profound interrelation between the microbiome and sleep-related concerns. Nevertheless, current observational studies can merely establish their correlation, leaving causality unexplored. To ascertain whether specific gut microbiota are causally linked to seven sleep-related characteristics and propose potential strategies for insomnia prevention. The study employed an extensive dataset of gut microbiota genetic variations from the MiBioGen alliance, encompassing 18,340 individuals. Taxonomic classification was conducted, identifying 131 genera and 196 bacterial taxa for analysis. Sleep-related phenotype (SRP) data were sourced from the IEU OpenGWAS project, covering traits such as insomnia, chronotype, and snoring. Instrumental variables (IVs) were selected based on specific criteria, including locus-wide significance, linkage disequilibrium calculations, and allele frequency thresholds. Statistical methods were employed to explore causal relationships, including inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted Mode. Sensitivity analyses, pleiotropy assessments, and Bonferroni corrections ensured result validity. Reverse causality analysis and adherence to STROBE-MR guidelines were conducted to bolster the study's rigor. Bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis reveals a causative interplay between selected gut microbiota and sleep-related phenotypes. Notably, outcomes from the rigorously Bonferroni-corrected examination illuminate profound correlations amid precise compositions of the intestinal microbiome and slumber-associated parameters. Elevated abundance within the taxonomic ranks of class Negativicutes and order Selenomonadales was markedly associated with heightened susceptibility to severe insomnia (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.05, p = 0.0001). Conversely, the augmented representation of the phylum Lentisphaerae stands in concord with protracted sleep duration (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04, p = 0.0005). Furthermore, heightened exposure to the genus Senegalimassilia exhibits the potential to ameliorate the manifestation of snoring symptoms (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-0.99, p = 0.0001). This study has unveiled the causal relationship between gut microbiota and SRPs, bestowing significant latent value upon future endeavors in both foundational research and clinical therapy.

Assessment of Central Auditory Processing in Children Using a Novel Tablet-Based Platform: Application for Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Evaluate whether a portable, tablet-based central auditory processing (CAP) test system using native language training videos and administered by minimally trained community health workers can produce CAP results comparable to previously published norms. Our secondary aim was to determine subject parameters that influence test results. Cross-sectional study. Community-based settings in Chontales, Nicaragua, New Hampshire, and Florida. English- and/or Spanish-speaking children and adolescents (n = 245; average age, 12.20 yr; range, 6-18 yr). Completion of the following tests with responses comparable to published norms: Pure-tone average (PTA), gap detection threshold (GDT), fixed-level frequency threshold, masking level difference (MLD), Hearing in Noise Test (HINT), Dichotic Digits Test (DDT), and Frequency Pattern Recognition (FPR) test. GDT, HINT, and DDT had comparable results to previously published normative values. MLD and FPR results differed compared with previously published normative values. Most CAP tests (MLD, GDT, HINT) results were independent of age and PTA (p = 0.1-0.9). However, DDT was associated with age and PTA (p < 0.0001). Pediatric CAP testing can be successfully completed in remote low- and middle- income country environments using a tablet-based platform without the presence of an audiologist. Performance on DDT improved with age but deteriorated with hearing loss. Further investigation is warranted to assess the variability of FPR.

Validity and Reliability of Age-Related Hearing Loss Questionnaire in Korean Elderly

Purpose: The objective of this study is to investigate the validity and reliability of the Age-Related Hearing Loss Questionnaire (ARHLQ) for Korean elderly, originally developed by Choi, to evaluate the communication difficulties faced by Korean elderly individuals with hearing loss everyday life. The ARHLQ consists of twenty-three questions in four subcategories of communication difficulties (9 items), communication environment (5 items), emotion and other’s reaction (6 items), and communication strategy (3 items).Methods: The ARHLQ was administrated to a total ninety subjects composed of three or four subject groups based on mild, moderate, moderate severe, and severe hearing loss determined by the pure tone threshold average (PTA) and high frequency threshold average (HFPTA), with an average age with the age of 77.22 ± 6.36 years old. Validity and reliability were calculated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, the Kruskal-Wallis test for nonparametric independent samples, and Cronbach alpha coefficient.Results: Pearson’s correlations coefficients between total scores and four subcategories of ARHLQ were high ranging from 0.813 to 0.971 and the correlation coefficient between ARHLQ and the Korean Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (K-HHIE) was high (0.736). The correlation coefficients between four subcategories of ARHLQ and the two subcategories of K-HHIE were high ranging from 0.598 to 0.770. The mean difference in total score and four subcategories of ARHLQ by the hearing degrees of PTA and HFPTA were significantly observed. For internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient in total scores and four subcategories was high ranging from 0.807 to 0.966. The test-retest correlation for reliability was very high (0.996).Conclusion: These findings suggest that the ARHLQ is a clinically useful tool to evaluate age-related hearing loss according to the degree of hearing loss.

Characterization of the Wing Tone around the Antennae of a Mosquito-like Model

Mosquitoes’ self-generated air movements around their antennae, especially at the wing-beat frequency, are crucial for both obstacle avoidance and mating communication. However, the characteristics of these air movements are not well clarified. In this study, the air movements induced by wing tones (sound generated by flapping wings in flight) around the antennae of a mosquito-like model (Culex quinquefasciatus, male) are investigated using the acoustic analogy method. Both the self-generated wing tone and the wing tone reflected from the ground are calculated. Given that the tiny changes in direction and magnitude of air movements can be detected by the mosquito’s antennae, a novel method is introduced to intuitively characterize the air movements induced by the wing tone. The air movements are decomposed into two basic modes (oscillation and revolution). Our results show that, without considering the scattering on the mosquito’s body, the self-generated sound wave of the wing-beat frequency around the antennae mainly induces air oscillation, with the velocity amplitude exceeding the mosquito’s hearing threshold of the male wingbeat frequency by two orders of magnitude. Moreover, when the model is positioned at a distance from the ground greater than approximately two wing lengths, the reflected sound wave at the male wingbeat frequency attenuates below the hearing threshold. That is, the role of reflected wing tone in the mosquito’s obstacle avoidance mechanism appears negligible. Our findings and method may provide insight into how mosquitoes avoid obstacles when their vision is unavailable and inspire the development of collision avoidance systems in micro-aerial vehicles.

Perceptual Experiment for Searching the Spatial Frequency Threshold Depending on Pixel Design

Perceptual Experiment for Searching the Spatial Frequency Threshold Depending on Pixel Design