Quantitative Proxy Research Articles

Molecular and functional convergences associated with complex multicellularity in Eukarya.

A key trait of Eukarya is the independent evolution of complex multicellular (CM) in animals, plants, fungi, brown algae and red algae. This phenotype is characterized by the initial exaptation of cell-cell adhesion genes followed by the emergence of mechanisms for cell-cell communication, together with the expansion of transcription factor gene families responsible for cell and tissue identity. The number of cell types (NCT) is commonly used as a quantitative proxy for biological complexity in comparative genomics studies. While expansions of individual gene families have been associated with NCT variation within individual CM lineages, the molecular and functional roles responsible for the independent evolution of CM across Eukarya remain poorly understood. We employed a phylogeny-aware strategy to conduct a genomic-scale search for associations between NCT and the abundance of genomic components across a phylogenetically diverse set of 81 eukaryotic species, including species from all CM lineages. Our annotation schemas represent two complimentary aspects of genomic information: homology - represented by conserved sequences - and function - represented by Gene Ontology (GO) terms. We found many gene families sharing common biological themes that define CM to be independently expanded in two or more CM lineages, such as components of the extracellular matrix, cell-cell communication mechanisms, and developmental pathways. Additionally, we describe many previously unknown associations of biological themes and biological complexity, such as mechanisms for wound response, immunity, cell migration, regulatory processes, and response to natural rhythms. Together, our findings unveil a set of functional and molecular convergences independently expanded in CM lineages likely due to the common selective pressures in their lifestyles.

Healthcare Contact Days Pre- and Post-Liver Transplant in Patients with Cirrhosis: A National Cohort Study.

"Healthcare contact days" is a patient-centered quantitative proxy for time toxicity, which can be informative for liver transplant (LT) decision-making. We aimed to (i) quantify contact days in patients with cirrhosis pre- and post-LT; (ii) identify clinical and demographic features associated with contact days. Using a national health system database, we calculated healthcare contact days (inpatient, outpatient hospital [e.g. observation], ambulatory, emergency, mental health, other) for patients with cirrhosis before and after LT. Between 2008-2023, 2,708 patients underwent LT (median age 59[IQR 52-65], 66% male, 68% non-Hispanic white). Total mean contact days were 76.0(SD,58.6) 1-year pre-LT, increasing to 92.3(SD,63.2) 1-year post-LT, then decreasing to 39.7(SD,43.3) and 30.9(SD,35.6) 2- and 3-years post-LT, respectively. Mean inpatient contact days were 33.6(SD,47.5) 1-year pre-LT, increasing to 49.6(SD,59.1) 1-year post-LT, then decreasing to 11.9(SD,32.0) and 6.7(SD,19.8) 2- and 3-years post-LT, respectively. In multivariable analysis, pre-LT contact days were not associated with post-LT days (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.00[1.00-1.00]). Post-LT, female gender (IRR 1.09[1.03-1.15]), Black race (IRR 1.11[1.00-1.23]), and pre-LT dialysis (IRR 1.21[1.10-1.34]) were associated with increased total contact days. Healthcare contact days provide interpretable prognostic information to inform expectations regarding LT for cirrhosis, and can be useful for patients, providers, and policymakers alike.

17O-excess of grass leaf phytoliths across the North American prairies records late-growing season daytime relative humidity

Because it is an important climate parameter, an accurate proxy is required for the reconstruction of past Relative Humidity (RH). Triple oxygen isotopes of grass-leaf phytoliths have a high potential for this purpose. A strong correlation between RH and 17O-excess of grass leaf phytoliths has been previously demonstrated from calibration experiments in growth chambers and at natural Sub-Saharan African and Mediterranean sites. Here we focus on the potential of 17O-excess of grass leaf phytoliths as a proxy of RH across the North American Great Plains. We tested the relationship between the 17O-excess of naturally grown Calamovilfa longifolia phytoliths and RH for different periods of the grass growing season. The results show that 17O-excess of leaf phytoliths has a strong correlation with late-growing season (July–August) daytime RH, which varies from 29 to 72 % across North America. The correlation can be expressed as: 17O-excessleaf phytoliths = 4.14(±0.47) × RH (%) – 497(±26) (R2 = 0.85, p-value<0.0001). To use the 17O-excess of bulk phytoliths buried in soils and sediments as a quantitative proxy of past RH, future calibration studies on soil phytoliths are needed to evaluate the contribution of non-transpiring phytoliths. The 17O-excess of stem water, which was determined by 17O-excess of stem phytoliths, shows similar values to the 17O-excess of precipitation in North America without evaporation, which therefore does not affect the 17O-excess of leaf phytoliths in North America. These results demonstrate that the 17O-excess of phytoliths is a promising proxy for regional growing season RH.

High-resolution sedimentary cyclostratigraphy and astronomical signals in the Upper Ordovician of Southwest China

During the Late Ordovician, a series of significant biotic and geological events occurred globally and more specifically in South China. The development of a high-resolution orbital cyclostratigraphic framework and a precise radioisotope dating has greatly enhanced our understanding of the factors controlling these events. In this study, quantitative proxies for palaeo-water depths, derived from sedimentological analyses, serve as indicators for orbital cyclostratigraphic assessment.Relatively shallow-marine carbonates with well-developed shallowing-upward cycles were deposited in the western Yangtze Platform during the Late Ordovician. High-resolution geochronological data were obtained from high-precision isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) zircon dating of K-bentonite beds at the studied section. This facilitated sedimentary facies and environmental analyses, as well as the recognition of sedimentary cycles. Based on mud content, bioclastic content, and laminations, four sedimentary facies, twelve sedimentary microfacies, and forty-eight shallowing-upward sedimentary cycles were identified in the Daduhe Formation.Through comparative time series analysis of depth rank, lime mudstone-calcareous mudstone binary data, non-carbonate content, and anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM), astronomical cycles and trends in sedimentation rates have been identified. This study confirms the reliability of radioisotope dating, establishing a 0.46 Myr duration for the Dicellograptus complexus graptolite biozone and a 0.96 Myr duration for the Paraorthograptus pacificus graptolite biozone, both with an empirical uncertainty of 0.1 Myr. This research proposes a reliable method for identifying astronomical cycles through high-precision sedimentary microfacies and cyclostratigraphy, in comparison with rock magnetic cyclostratigraphy studies.

Soil chemistry effect on GDGT abundances and their proxies in soils of the Okavango Delta

Branched and isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs, and isoGDGTs) are two families of membrane lipids commonly used to reconstruct paleo-environmental parameters. Their use as a quantitative proxy for past temperatures has been hindered by the discovery of other environmental controls on their distribution in soils, such as changes in bacterial community composition, chemistry and aridity. To test for the impact of aridity-driven soil chemistry changes, GDGT concentrations and derived proxies were measured in 43 soils along a chemical gradient in the Okavango Delta. All brGDGT concentrations increase with decreasing pH. Alkalinity-promoted (6-methyl and cyclopentane-containing) brGDGTs show a secondary concentration increase in arid soils, characterized by a high pH>8 and cation exchange capacity (CEC>30 cmolc kg−1). The concentration of 5-methyl brGDGTs increases faster that of 6-methyl brGDGTs in arid compared with non-arid soils. Although limited variability in temperature is present (∼2 °C), significant variation in MBT′5ME values is observed (0.63–0.96) likely driven by the variation in CEC. IsoGDGTs are present in lower concentrations than brGDGTs, and Ri/b values, a potential proxy for paleohydrological reconstruction, correlating with soil water content (r = 0.45, p < 0.01). TEX86 values (0.57–0.97) correlate with pH across the aridity transect. In this region, where accurate proxies and quantitative paleostudies are scarce, the impact of aridity-driven chemistry changes on GDGT-proxies is shown, i.e., MBT′5ME is overall controlled by CEC, but correlates negatively with pH in non-arid soils and with IR6ME in arid alkaline soils. Furthermore, we propose GDGT-based proxies for concentration in exchangeable calcium, past hydrological changes and soil pH.

Carbon and oxygen isotopes in mummified wood reveal warmer and wetter winters in the Siberian Arctic 3000 years ago

Paleoclimate reconstructions from the Holocene are important for defining baseline conditions in order to interpret and contextualize the effects of modern climate change. Such records are particularly lacking for Siberia, a region that represents ~ 50% of the Arctic. In addition, the majority of proxy-based paleoclimate reconstructions for the Holocene represent mean annual conditions, and few quantify winter temperature, which is particularly important for predicting the effects of global warming in Arctic environments. Here we provide the first quantitative proxy reconstruction of precipitation and temperature for both summer and winter for 3000 years ago via novel high-resolution intra-annual carbon and oxygen isotope measurements across annual growth rings of fossil wood mummified within the permafrost of far northeastern Siberia. We found that the site experienced greater precipitation year-round (~ 10% increase in summer and ~ 30% increase in winter), cooler summer temperatures, and warmer winter temperatures, compared with today. Our findings indicate that warmer winter temperatures (+ 3.0 °C above early twentieth century values) in the Arctic 3000 years ago drove higher mean annual temperature by up to 1 °C, despite the existence of cooler summers, a similar phenomenon to what is observed within today’s Arctic environments, and past intervals of extreme global warmth.

Holocene hydroclimate variability of the Baltic region inferred from stable isotopes, d-excess and multi-proxy data at lake Nuudsaku, Estonia (NE Europe)

Long-term hydroclimate records provide an opportunity to understand potential drivers of the past, and give context to modern and future climate warming. A wide variety of proxy data now allow for reconstruction of climate variables that were not previously possible. Here we present a multi-proxy dataset including n-alkane δ2H (δ2Hn-alk) values from an open-basin lake in Estonia to reconstruct past hydroclimate conditions for the eastern Baltic region. We complement our sedimentary δ2Hn-alk data with existing carbonate-based oxygen stable isotope (δ18O) data to derive deuterium (d-) excess. We present multiple isotopic records and reconstructed relative humidity (ΔRH) values over the Holocene, and link these with modern precipitation δ2H and δ18O values to guide the interpretation of the paleo-proxies. Fossil pollen and chironomid-based temperature reconstructions, as well as biogeochemical data provide additional information for inferring past environmental changes. Our results indicate that the middle Holocene in Estonia had on average 6 ± 3% higher RH values than the late Holocene. The δ18O and δ2H values were also higher during the middle Holocene, which we interpret as increased warm season precipitation. Our reconstructed d-excess values were relatively higher during the middle Holocene, indicating a more northerly or cold source water origin, in comparison to the late Holocene. In addition to the paleoclimatic significance, our results show how multiple quantitative proxies can be combined to characterize hydroclimate sensitivity to changes in relative humidity, temperature and moisture source.

Modern vegetation-climate relationships for pollen assemblages across the mountainous regions of southwestern China: Implications for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction

A comprehensive understanding of modern pollen transport processes is a prerequisite for utilizing fossil pollen to elucidate the evolution of palaeoclimates and palaeoenvironments, especially in areas such as southwestern China where complex mountainous topography results in vegetation heterogeneity. In this paper, we selected four vertical profiles in mountainous regions of southwestern China, each with distinct plant communities, to investigate the relationship between modern pollen rain, vegetation types and vegetation cover, and to quantify the influence of environmental factors. Results show that pollen assemblages are generally representative of regional plant communities, although long-distant transport of arboreal pollen by valley winds can introduce signals from a much wider area. The calibrated arboreal pollen percentage (AP) and ratio of arboreal pollen to non-arboreal pollen (AP/NAP) serves as reliable quantitative proxies for vegetation cover, highlighting the importance of appropriate calibration when interpreting fossil pollen assemblages. Climate is the primary determinant of pollen distribution across these mountains, with mean temperature of the coldest month (MTCM) playing the most prominent contribution. Additionally, the impact of vegetation cover and soil nutrients on pollen distribution are also significant. Our modern study improves the accuracy of pollen interpretation for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction in mountainous regions of southwestern China.

Polyomavirus Nephropathy in ABO Blood Group-Incompatible Kidney Transplantation: Torque Teno Virus and Immunosuppressive Burden as an Approximation to the Problem

IntroductionEarlier reports suggest that patients after ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation (ABOi) are at enhanced risk to develop BK-virus (BKV) nephropathy (BKPyVAN). It remains elusive whether this is a result of more intense immunosuppression or an ABOi-associated ‘intrinsic attribute’. To address this question, we measured Torque-Teno-Virus (TTV) loads as a quantitative proxy for immunosuppressive depth in ABOi recipients and compared them to HLA-incompatible (HLAi, i.e. pre-transplant donor-specific antibody-positive) and standard-risk transplant recipients. MethodsOur retrospective study screened 2256 consecutive kidney transplantations performed between 2007-2020 at the Medical University of Vienna. Out of 629 in-principle eligible transplantations, we were able to include 465 patients: 42 ABOi, 106 HLAi and 317 control recipients. Longitudinal TTV- and BKV-PCR was carried out at pre-defined timepoints and ranged from pre-transplant until month 24 post-transplantation. TTV loads and immunosuppression were evaluated in the context of BKV-associated-complications. ResultsABOi recipients had a higher TTV load compared to HLAi and controls both at month three (median 1.5x109 vs. 2.4x108 vs. 9.1x107, p=0.010) and month six (3.1x109 vs. 1.4x107 vs. 6.4x107, p=0.014) post-transplantation. Tacrolimus exposure was significantly higher in ABOi patients compared to HLAi and control patients (ABOi vs. HLAi: p=0.007, ABOi vs. controls: p<0.0001). Biopsy-proven BKPyVAN was more frequent in ABOi recipients when compared to HLAi- and control-recipients (11.9% vs. 2.8% vs. 4.1%, p=0.046). ConclusionOur data support the assumption that ABOi patients are indeed at higher risk to develop BKPyVAN. A higher TTV load and immunosuppressive burden suggest that intense immunosuppression, rather than an ‘intrinsic attribute’ conferred by ABOi, may contribute to this finding.

Sense of Agency and Its Disturbances: A Systematic Review Targeting the Intentional Binding Effect in Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

IntroductionThe sense of agency (SoA) indicates a person’s ability to feel her/his own motor acts as actually being her/his, and through them to exert control over the course of external events. Disruptions in SoA may profoundly affect the individual’s functioning, as observed in several neuropsychiatric disorders.ObjectivesThis is the first article to systematically review studies that investigated intentional binding (IB), a quantitative proxy for SoA measurement, in neurological and psychiatric patients.MethodsEligible were studies of IB involving patients with neurological and/or psychiatric disorders. The research adhered to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).ResultsWe included 15 studies involving 692 individuals. Risk of bias was low throughout studies. Eligible studies dealt with data from 357 patients with neuropsychiatric disorders matched with 335 HCs. Of included patients, 95 were with schizophrenia (SCZ), 30 with a putative prodromal psychosis (PP), 21 with borderline personality disorder (BPD), 66 with Parkinson’s disease (PD), 38 with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 29 with functional movement disorders (FMDs), 25 with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS), 52 with anorexia nervosa (AN; 22 with active disorder and 30 after they had recovered), and 10 with Cortico-Basal syndrome (CBS).Temporal binding was calculated in eleven studies using variations of the experimental procedure introduced by Haggard et al. (Haggard et al. Nat Neurosci 2002;5 382-385)(Figure 1, A), while four studies utilized a different paradigm named interval estimation (IE)(Figure 1, B).Image:ConclusionsAbnormally increased action-outcome binding was found in schizophrenia and in patients with Parkinson’s disease taking dopaminergic medications or reporting impulsive-compulsive behaviours. A decreased IB effect was observed in Tourette’s disorder and functional movement disorders whereas increased action-outcome binding was found in patients with cortico-basal syndrome. The extent of IB deviation from healthy control values correlated with the severity of symptoms in several disorders. Inconsistent effects were found for autism spectrum disorders, anorexia nervosa, and borderline personality disorder. Findings pave the way for treatments specifically targeting SoA in neuropsychiatric disorders where IB is altered.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Characterising the decay of organic metal complexes in speleothem-forming cave waters

Organic metal complexes (OMCs) transport trace metals (e.g., Co, Ni, Cu) from surface soils, via the unsaturated zone, to sites of cave carbonate (speleothem) formation. OMCs clearly imprint on speleothem trace element chemistry, but the role of kinetic factors in the signal transfer process has yet to be elucidated. We investigated whether OMCs may viably link metal concentrations in stalagmites and local hydrology (i.e., drip rate), via their time-sensitive dissociation (or ‘decay’) in the speleothem water thin-film. We performed competitive ligand exchange experiments using water and soil samples from eight geographically diverse Aotearoa New Zealand caves, providing a first comparative characterisation of speleothem-specific OMC kinetics. Critically, this approach corroborated that NOM ligands limit transition metal availability at the dripwater-speleothem interface, exhibiting stabilities on the order Cu ≈ Co > Ni, whereas organic complexation of the alkaline earth metals Mg and Sr was virtually absent. Systematic variations of OMC stability with natural organic matter characteristics were not observed amongst water samples, whilst enhanced complexation was clearly evident in the comparably organic-rich soil extracts. Our results imply that the supply of transition metals to speleothems is inversely related to drip rate, increasing with drip interval via the decay of OMCs. This process appears most sensitive on time-scales relevant to typical speleothem-forming settings (<0 to ca. 40 drips min−1, corresponding to ca. <5.6 mL min−1), and therefore provides a general, mechanistic link to a quantitative proxy of palaeoclimatic cave drip rates.

Do vocal cues matter in information disclosure? Evidence from IPO online roadshows in the SSE STAR market

In this study, we investigate whether vocal cues expressed by management in IPO online roadshows in the SSE STAR Market play an information role. Using deep learning techniques, we classify the emotional tendencies of vocal cues in IPO online roadshows and construct quantitative proxy variables. After a series of empirical analyses, we find that vocal emotions are positively associated with first-day stock returns after IPO. In addition, we find that vocal emotions have predictive power for future operating performance after IPO. Our findings still hold after a series of robustness checks. Through additional analyses, we provide evidence that information content in the prospectus and investor sentiment play moderating and mediating roles, respectively, in the relationship between vocal emotions and the first-day stock returns after IPO. Moreover, we find that the vocal emotions expressed in the presentation section and the management tone in the Q&A section develop synergistic effects. Finally, we find that the information role played by vocal emotions exhibits timeliness. Our findings elucidate the information role of vocal cues and highlight the importance of IPO online roadshows in the SSE STAR Market.

Large-scale in-silico analysis of CSF dynamics within the subarachnoid space of the optic nerve

BackgroundImpaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics is involved in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system and the optic nerve (ON), including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as frontotemporal dementia. The smallness and intricate architecture of the optic nerve subarachnoid space (ONSAS) hamper accurate measurements of CSF dynamics in this space, and effects of geometrical changes due to pathophysiological processes remain unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate CSF dynamics and its response to structural alterations of the ONSAS, from first principles, with supercomputers.MethodsLarge-scale in-silico investigations were performed by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. High-order direct numerical simulations (DNS) have been carried out on ONSAS geometry at a resolution of 1.625 μm/pixel. Morphological changes on the ONSAS microstructure have been examined in relation to CSF pressure gradient (CSFPG) and wall strain rate, a quantitative proxy for mass transfer of solutes.ResultsA physiological flow speed of 0.5 mm/s is achieved by imposing a hydrostatic pressure gradient of 0.37–0.67 Pa/mm across the ONSAS structure. At constant volumetric rate, the relationship between pressure gradient and CSF-accessible volume is well captured by an exponential curve. The ONSAS microstructure exhibits superior mass transfer compared to other geometrical shapes considered. An ONSAS featuring no microstructure displays a threefold smaller surface area, and a 17-fold decrease in mass transfer rate. Moreover, ONSAS trabeculae seem key players in mass transfer.ConclusionsThe present analysis suggests that a pressure drop of 0.1–0.2 mmHg over 4 cm is sufficient to steadily drive CSF through the entire subarachnoid space. Despite low hydraulic resistance, great heterogeneity in flow speeds puts certain areas of the ONSAS at risk of stagnation. Alterations of the ONSAS architecture aimed at mimicking pathological conditions highlight direct relationships between CSF volume and drainage capability. Compared to the morphological manipulations considered herein, the original ONSAS architecture seems optimized towards providing maximum mass transfer across a wide range of pressure gradients and volumetric rates, with emphasis on trabecular structures. This might shed light on pathophysiological processes leading to damage associated with insufficient CSF flow in patients with optic nerve compartment syndrome.

Computational Segmentation of Timber Slabs with Free Column Placement

Modular floor slabs must be subdivided into prefabricable, transportable segments. This slab segmentation process conventionally uses a rectangular pattern, particularly for timber buildings. Regular segmentation patterns and strict column grids are ideal for rectangular building shapes, but restrict timber buildings to only some architectural uses, and are unideal for urban infill. Unfortunately, planning and constructing multi-storey wood buildings without a strict grid is still challenging. There is therefore a conflict between the desired column placement and the constraints imposed by building systems. This article investigates novel methods for segmenting timber floors supported by irregular column layouts. It proposes six different segmentation methods that are informed through Co-Design by structural, material waste, and transportation requirements. Co-Design allows for the direct integration and automated feedback of such diverse criteria into the early building design phase. These methods are based on three well-known computational approaches: Single-Objective Optimisation, Parametric Modelling, and Agent-Based Modelling. They could also be applied to other non-timber prefabricated floor systems. The segmentation methods are demonstrated on two example floor slabs with irregular column layouts, one with a rectilinear and the other with an irregular outline. The methods are compared using quantitative proxies for cost, fabrication time, architectural adaptability, and assembly complexity. More benchmark testing is needed, but initial results showed that the most efficient segmentations cannot adapt to irregular layouts, emphasising the need for a more adaptable approach to modular timber construction.

Optimizing a metabarcoding marker portfolio for species detection from complex mixtures of globally diverse fishes

AbstractDNA metabarcoding is used to enumerate and identify taxa in both environmental samples and tissue mixtures, but the effectiveness of particular markers depends on their sensitivity to the taxa involved. Using multiple primer sets that amplify different genes can mitigate biases in amplification efficiency, sequence resolution, and reference data availability, but few empirical studies have evaluated markers for complementary performance. Here, we assess the individual and joint performance of 22 markers for detecting species in a DNA pool of 98 species of marine and freshwater bony fishes from geographically and phylogenetically diverse origins. We find that a portfolio of four markers targeting 12S, 16S, and two regions of COI identifies 100% of reference taxa to family and nearly 60% to species. We then use these four markers to evaluate metabarcoding of heterogeneous tissue mixtures, using experimental fishmeal to test: (1) the tissue input threshold to ensure detection; (2) how read depth scales with tissue abundance; and (3) the effect of non‐target material in the mixture on recovery of target taxa. We consistently detect taxa that makeup &gt;1% of fishmeal mixtures and can detect taxa at the lowest input level of 0.01%, but rare taxa (&lt;1%) were detected inconsistently across markers and replicates. Read counts showed only a weak correlation with tissue input, suggesting they are not a reliable quantitative proxy for relative abundance. Despite the limitations arising from primer specificity and reference data availability, our results demonstrate that a modest portfolio of markers can perform well in detecting and identifying aquatic species in complex mixtures despite heterogeneity in tissue representation, phylogenetic affinities, and from a broad geographic range.

Social media investors' sentiment as stock market performance predictor

PurposeThis study examines the impact of social media investor sentiment on the stock market performance through qualitative and quantitative proxies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a sample of daily stock performance related to S&P 500 Index for the period from December 18, 2017, to December 18, 2018. The social media investor sentiment was assessed through qualitative and quantitative proxies. For qualitative proxies, the study relies on three social media resources”: Twitter, Trump Twitter account and StockTwits. The authors proposed 3 methods to reflect investor sentiment. For quantitative proxies, the number of daily messages published from Trump Twitter account and StockTwits is considered as a signal of investor sentiment. For regression model, the study adopts the autoregressive distributed lagged to determine the relationships between the nonstationary series.Findings:Empirical findings provide evidence that quantitative measures of investor sentiment have significant effects on S&P’500 performances. The authors find that Trump's tweets should be interpreted with caution. The results also show that the number of Trump's tweets on t−1 day have a positive effect on performance on day t.Practical implicationsSocial media sentiment contains information for predicting stock returns and transaction activity. Since, the arrival of new information in capital markets triggers investor sentiment on social media.Originality/valueThis study investigates the investors’ sentiment through social media and explores quantitative and qualitative measures. The amount of information on social media reflects more the investor sentiment than content analysis measures.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-12-2022-0818

An Algorithm for Designing Value Propositions in the IoT Space: Addressing the Challenges of Selecting the Initial Class in Reference Class Forecasting

Developing products and entering new markets in the Internet of Things (IoT) and industry 4.0 space are challenging because value propositions and business models are complex. IoT products are fundamentally platform products, whose embedded components can measure a disparate set of characteristics for several user types. Deciding in advance which combination of characteristics and users to focus on is daunting, and further complicated wherever the user is not the payer. It requires prediction. A common predictive technique, such as reference class forecasting (RCF), often suffers from the biased selection of initial reference classes. In this article, we propose combining RCF with our new biclustering algorithm, ECrfBimax, built from 200 use cases we distilled. ECrfBimax uniquely makes biclustering predictive. Our combined biclustering&#x002F;RCF approach helps managers and designers design value propositions for IoT devices through a data-driven selection of initial classes. Applying the algorithm to readily available qualitative data from a high-dimensional dataset comprising 10 competitors of a real-life IoT company, 200 customers, and 230 product characteristics, we identify solution characteristics deployable by that company in different sectors. ECrfBimax identifies how far competitors are targeting users using similar&#x002F;dissimilar combinations of characteristics. Quantitative proxies for size, success, and performance based on funding raised empirically support and statistically validate the algorithm. Uniquely too, our bicluster hierarchically groups customers with characteristics which either should or should not be jointly developed to target them. We also uniquely compare RCF and biclustering as methods for analyzing objects&#x2019; similarity.

Methane Index: Towards a quantitative archaeal lipid biomarker proxy for reconstructing marine sedimentary methane fluxes

In marine sediments, anaerobic methane oxidation (AOM) carried out by consortia of methanotrophic archaea (ANME groups) and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) represents a major sink for methane (40–290 Tg of C yr−1). The variability of seafloor methane seepage and AOM is crucial to sedimentary biogeochemistry and global carbon/sulfur cycling, yet poorly constrained for Earth’s history. Based on the rationale that a major group of ANME preferentially synthesizes certain tetraether lipids, Methane Index (MI) measured from sedimentary archaeal lipid biomarkers called GDGTs (glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers) has been widely used as a qualitative indicator for methane-impact on sediments. However, it was unclear whether small amounts of diagenetic methane in porewater could cause high MI values or that high methane flux associated with, for example cold seeps, is required. Since not all ANME groups synthesize GDGTs, another contested issue is whether this index is broadly representative of AOM. Here, we use modern porewater and sedimentary lipid profiles from the world’s ocean to further explore MI’s potential to address these questions. The new data show that MI is quantitatively linked to sedimentary methane diffusive flux and the depth of sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) which is the diagenetic front where AOM activity is mostly concentrated. In particular, high MI values (>0.3–0.5) are strongly associated with high methane fluxes (>∼0.1 mmol m−2 d−1) and shallow SMTZ depths (<1–3 m) commonly linked to gas hydrate dissociations. Sensitivity analyses suggest that when the variability of several key parameters (e.g., seawater sulfate concentration, geothermal gradient, and sediment porosity) is small, modern MI – methane flux and MI – SMTZ depth relationships can be applied to reconstruct methane history and diagenetic zonation of the geological past. Although only Group I of ANME archaea synthesizes GDGTs, the co-occurrence of AOM biomarkers (e.g., crocetane, PMI, and hydroxyarchaeol) that are attributed to ANME-2 or ANME-3 and high MI values suggest that MI is broadly representative of AOM. Lastly, we applied MI to probe the methane venting history by using new data from a Cascadia Margin site (Hydrate Ridge, IODP U1328) since the penultimate interglacial, and reinterpreted recently reported MI data from three Southern Ocean sites (ODP 1168, 1170, and IODP U1356) during the late Oligocene – early Miocene. Overall, these applications demonstrate that MI can serve as a sensitive and quantitative proxy to help broadly establish Cenozoic and Mesozoic history of marine methane biogeochemical cycling.

Faktor determinan kematian ibu di Kabupaten Sintang periode Agustus 2021 – 2022

Background: indicators of maternal health in a country can be seen through the high and low Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR). Sintang District in 2021 will be the second highest contributor to MMR in West Kalimantan Province. The determinants of maternal mortality are inconclusive and show different results in each region according to the method of collecting maternal mortality data.Objectives: the general objective of this research is to find out the Determinant Factors for Maternal Mortality in Sintang District for the period August 2021 – August 2022.Methods: using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods with sequential explanatory. Quantitative research samples totaled 16 cases and qualitative informants amounted to 40 informants with indepth interview method. .Results: quantitative proxy determinant of maternal death caused by complications of childbirth (37.5%) 6 cases, determinant intermediate age &gt; 35 years (68.75%) 11 cases and ANC examination (68.75%) 11 cases, contextual determinant geographical area (75%) 12 cases. The qualitative results of the proxy determinants of maternal death were cases of retained placenta bleeding, the determinant intermediate the risk factors for maternal age &gt; 35 years, high maternal parity ≥ 3 times giving birth and incomplete ANC examinations &lt; 6 times. The determinant is far because it is in a rural area.Conclusion: the causes of maternal death in Sintang district are very complex and multifactor. Assistance for high-risk pregnant women by health personnel and monitoring periodic evaluations of the Program Birth Planning and Complication Prevention (P4K) must be carried out to reduce MMR in Sintang District.

An expanded database of Southern Hemisphere surface sediment dinoflagellate cyst assemblages and their oceanographic affinities

Abstract. Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages present a valuable proxy to infer paleoceanographic conditions, yet factors influencing geographic distributions of species remain largely unknown, especially in the Southern Ocean. Strong lateral transport, sea-ice dynamics, and a sparse and uneven geographic distribution of surface sediment samples have limited the use of dinocyst assemblages as a quantitative proxy for paleo-environmental conditions such as sea surface temperature (SST), nutrient concentrations, salinity, and sea ice (presence). In this study we present a new set of surface sediment samples (n=66) from around Antarctica, doubling the number of Antarctic-proximal samples to 100 (dataset wsi_100) and increasing the total number of Southern Hemisphere samples to 655 (dataset sh_655). Additionally, we use modelled ocean conditions and apply Lagrangian techniques to all Southern Hemisphere sample stations to quantify and evaluate the influence of lateral transport on the sinking trajectory of microplankton and, with that, to the inferred ocean conditions. k-means cluster analysis on the wsi_100 dataset demonstrates the strong affinity of Selenopemphix antarctica with sea-ice presence and of Islandinium spp. with low-salinity conditions. For the entire Southern Hemisphere, the k-means cluster analysis identifies nine clusters with a characteristic assemblage. In most clusters a single dinocyst species dominates the assemblage. These clusters correspond to well-defined oceanic conditions in specific Southern Ocean zones or along the ocean fronts. We find that, when lateral transport is predominantly zonal, the environmental parameters inferred from the sea floor assemblages mostly correspond to those of the overlying ocean surface. In this case, the transport factor can thus be neglected and will not represent a bias in the reconstructions. Yet, for some individual sites, e.g. deep-water sites or sites under strong-current regimes, lateral transport can play a large role. The results of our study further constrain environmental conditions represented by dinocyst assemblages and the location of Southern Ocean frontal systems.