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Parental social class and school examinations:A longitudinal investigation using linked administrative and survey data
Get PDFThis study investigates the relationship between parental social class and young people’s school examinations in England. This study uses a specialist data resource from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (Understanding Society) and linked administrative data from the National Pupil Database. The main aims are to better understand the effects of parental social class on Key Stage 2 results in primary school (at age 11) and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results in secondary school (at age 16) (i.e. two critical stages in a pupil’s educational life course). There is a strong positive association between pupils’ Key Stage 2 scores and GCSE scores. There are significant parental social class inequalities in GCSE outcomes, and these divisions have clearly opened up by the end of primary school. This result is consequential for the development of policies that are designed to tackle social inequalities
On the regularity problem for parabolic operators and the role of half-time derivative
Get PDFIn this paper we present the following result on regularity of solutions of the second order parabolic equation ∂tu-div(A∇u)+B·∇u=0 on cylindrical domains of the form Ω=O×R where O⊂Rn is a uniform domain (it satisfies both interior corkscrew and Harnack chain conditions) and has a boundary that is n-1-Ahlfors regular. Let u be a solution of such PDE in Ω and the non-tangential maximal function of its gradient in spatial directions N~(∇u) belongs to Lp(∂Ω) for some p>1. Furthermore, assume that for u|∂Ω=f we have that Dt1/2f∈Lp(∂Ω). Then both N~(Dt1/2u) and N~(Dt1/2Htu) also belong to Lp(∂Ω), where Dt1/2 and Ht are the half-derivative and the Hilbert transform in the time variable, respectively. We expect this result will spur new developments in the study of solvability of the Lp parabolic Regularity problem as thanks to it it is now possible to formulate the parabolic Regularity problem on a large class of time-varying domains.</p
Content authenticities:A discussion on the values of provenance data for creatives and their audiences
Get PDFThe proliferation of AI-generated digital content has intensified the user demand for accurate provenance information to ensure content authenticity. Technical advancements now provide tools to make the digital media content supply chain more transparent through the use of provenance data. This paper foregrounds the importance of understanding how the situated nature of user-content engagement influences perceptions and uses of this data. Insights from a workshop with experts in the creative media sector suggest that, as the adoption of provenance data becomes more common, users need richer and more nuanced information. We suggest that analyzing the increasing demand for content authenticity through the lens of multiple “authenticities”, each reflecting different user needs and contexts, can help identify and address the needs for, and uses of, provenance data by creators and audiences alike
A unique spontaneously immortalised cell line from pig with enhanced adipogenic capacity
Get PDFCultivated meat promises to address some of the pressing challenges associated with large-scale production of animals for food. An important limitation to realising such promise is the lack of readily available cell lines that can be expanded robustly for scale-up culture while maintaining the capacity to differentiate into tissues of interest, namely fat and muscle. Here, we report a porcine mesenchymal stem cell line (FaTTy) which, uniquely, upon spontaneously immortalisation acquired enhanced adipogenic efficiency, close to 100%, that has now been maintained for over 200 population doublings. FaTTy is able to differentiate with high efficiency in both 2D and 3D contexts and produces mature adipocytes upon prolonged differentiation. Moreover, FaTTy adipocytes display fatty acid profiles largely similar to native pig fat but with higher monounsaturated-to-saturated ratios. FaTTy displays minor aneuploidy, characterised by lack of Y chromosome, and lacks typical genetic or functional properties of tumorigenic cells. These highly distinctive characteristics, together with its non-genetically modified nature, make FaTTy a very attractive, potentially game-changing resource for food manufacturing, and particularly cultivated meat.</p
Motion Compensation in Pulmonary Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging: An Image Processing Pipeline for Artefact Reduction and Clinical Precision
Get PDFGoal: This study introduces Temporal Reliability and Accuracy via Correlation Enhanced Registration (TRACER), a novel image processing pipeline that addresses motion artefacts in real-time Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIm) data for in-vivo pulmonary Optical Endomicroscopy (OEM). Its primary objective is to improve the accuracy and reliability of FLIm image sequences. Methods: The proposed TRACER pipeline comprises a comprehensive sequence of pre-processing steps and a novel registration approach. This includes the removal of uninformative frames and motion characterisation through dense optical flow, followed by a tracking-based Normalised Cross Correlation image registration method leveraging Channel and Spatial Reliability Tracker for precise alignment. Results: The complete TRACER pipeline delivers significant performance improvements, with 20% to 30% enhancement across different metrics for all tested registration methods. In particular, the unique TRACER registration approach outperforms state-of-theart methods in image registration performance and achieves an order-of-magnitude faster runtime than the next best-performing approach. Conclusion: By addressing motion artefacts through its integrated pre-processing and novel registration strategy, TRACER offers a robust solution that ensures improved image quality and real-time feasibility for FLIm data processing in in-vivo pulmonary OEM
Inflammatory disorders that affect the cerebral small vessels
Get PDFThis comprehensive review synthesizes the latest advancements in understanding inflammatory disorders affecting cerebral small vessels, a distinct yet understudied category within cerebral small vessel diseases (SVD). Unlike classical SVD, these inflammatory conditions exhibit unique clinical presentations, imaging patterns, and pathophysiological mechanisms, posing significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Highlighting their heterogeneity, this review spans primary angiitis of the central nervous system, cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation, systemic vasculitis, secondary vasculitis, and vasculitis in autoinflammatory diseases. Key discussions focus on emerging insights into immune-mediated processes, neuroimaging characteristics, and histopathological distinctions. Furthermore, this review underscores the importance of standardized diagnostic frameworks, individualized immunomodulation approaches, and novel targeted therapies to address unmet clinical demands.</p
Breast cancer-specific survival by molecular subtype in different age groups of women in Scotland
Get PDFBackground: Age and molecular subtypes are important prognostic factors in breast cancer (BC). Here, we explore how age and molecular subtypes influence BC survival in Scotland. Methods: We analysed data from 71,784 women diagnosed with invasive BC in Scotland between 1997 and 2016, with follow-up until 31st December 2018 (median follow-up time=5.5 years). Cox models estimated Hazard Ratios (HR) for BC-specific death by age group (with women of screening age, 50-69 years old, as the reference) within each molecu-lar subtype, adjusting for prognostic factors. The cumulative incidence function was plotted to account for competing risks. Results: During the study period, 37% of women died, with 53% of deaths attributed to BC. Women aged 70+ years had increased BC-specific death compared to women aged 50 to 69 years with the same subtype. HRs (95% CI) were 1.49 (1.23 - 1.80) for luminal A, 1.39 (1.14 to 1.69) for luminal B tumours and 1.49 (1.15 to 1.94) for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Women aged <50 years had lower risk of BC death in luminal A subtype only, with HR of 0.66 (0.51 - 0.86) compared to women aged 50 to 69 years. Competing risks analysis showed higher cumulative incidence of death from non-BC causes, particularly for women aged 70+ years with hormone positive subtypes. Stage, treatment, and molecular subtype were the strongest prognostic factors for BC-specific mortality across all ages. Conclusions: Age influences BC-specific mortality particularly within luminal subtypes. In contrast, other tumour characteristics and treatment are key prognostic factors for non-luminal subtypes. Future studies should investigate other markers of BC mortality particu-larly among over 70-year-olds, who account for 60% of BC deaths in the UK.<br/
Verbhood and state/change of state lability across languages
Get PDFAcross languages, words with the meanings of adjectives in English (property concept lexemes; Thompson 1989) often have translational equivalents that are nominal or verbal instead (Dixon 1982). Regardless of category, all languages have ways of describing changes into property concept states, which generally bear some derivational relation to the word describing the state the change is into. This paper offers a study into the typology of property concept state/change-of-state derivation, showing that variation in the category of the state word correlates with differences in the nature of this derivation. In particular, we show on the basis of a statistical analysis of state/change-of-state derivation using data from the “Verbal Roots Across Languages” database that a lack of morphological marking from state to change of state (lability) is more likely when the simple state is verbal in category. We argue that this finding follows from the idea that only verbs can describe change-of-state events (even if not all verbs do), and implement this formally as the claim that only verbs can lexicalize relations between individuals and dynamic eventualities
Analysis of the Application of Machine Learning Algorithms Based on Sentinel-1/2 and Landsat 8 OLI Data in Estimating Above-Ground Biomass of Subtropical Forests
Get PDFAccurate monitoring of aboveground biomass (AGB) in subtropical forests plays an important role in maintaining biodiversity and the balance of forest ecosystems. It is of high importance to explore how machine learning models can improve the ability and accuracy of AGB estimation of different types of subtropical forests under the conditions of active and passive open-source remote sensing (RS) data. In this study, the subtropical forests in the Pu’er region of Yunnan Province were used as the research object, and backscattering coefficients, mean reflectance, and textural features from Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Landsat 8 OLI open-source RS data were used as the data source. We classified the subtropical forests into three basic forest types: broadleaf forest, coniferous forest, and mixed forest. Based on filtering and analyzing RS features, we performed forest AGB inversion using Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). The results show that: (1) VH-related texture features in Sentinel-1, and red-edge band features, IR band features, and texture features in Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 OLI are sensitive to changes in forest AGB. (2) Among the three nonparametric methods, the XGBoost algorithm had the highest estimation accuracy with an MAE of 10.05 t/ha and RMSE of 12.43 t/ha in coniferous forests; the second estimation accuracy in mixed forests with an MAE of 20.18 t/ha and RMSE of 25.33 t/ha; and the estimation accuracy in broad-leaved forests with an MAE of 25.22 t/ha and RMSE of 32.32 t/ha. (3) The accuracy of estimating forest AGB by combining multiple RS data is higher than the estimation results using a single RS data. We found that the VH features of SAR data contribute more to the inversion of high-precision forest AGB; the XGBoost model has the strongest robustness and the highest accuracy in the AGB inversion of subtropical forests using multisource RS data. (4) The spatial autocorrelation of the samples themselves also needs to be taken into account when modeling forest AGB estimates
Modelling the longitudinal associations between schizotypy and aberrant salience:The role of mentalization and attachment
Get PDFObjectives: This study investigates the role of mentalization and attachment in the development of schizotypy into aberrant salience. Specifically, we examine how disruptions in these socio-cognitive capacities interact with multidimensional schizotypy to influence self-fragmentation, emotional instability and social detachment. Method: Study variables were measured using self-report scales. A two-wave cohort study design was implemented with a 9-month assessment interval. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between mentalizing, attachment, negative affect, aberrant salience and schizotypy were estimated using network modelling. Results: The study involved 312 participants aged 18–37 years, with 77% identifying as female and 57% receiving mental health treatment during the follow-up period. Results indicated that mentalizing capacity was central in linking concurrent negative affect, attachment and psychosis risk and served as a temporal bridge connecting multiple dimensions of psychosis risk. Conclusion: Mentalizing difficulties can heighten psychosis risk by maintaining affective dysregulation and consolidating schizotypy. The results may be influenced by potential sampling errors, as indicated by the analyses of network stability and accuracy. Interventions promoting mentalizing capacity may attenuate psychosis risk.</p
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