136986 research outputs found
Sort by
Identity fusion can foster intergroup trust and willingness to cooperate.
No full textIdentity fusion - a construct that captures extreme ingroup commitment - has traditionally been associated with intergroup violence. However, recent research suggests that identity fusion is also associated with feelings of security that promote intergroup interactions. This apparent contradiction was explored by examining moderators of the relationship between identity fusion and positive intergroup relations across two studies. Study 1, a pre-registered study on intergroup relations in the turbulent Bangsamoro region of the Philippines (N = 816), found that identity fusion was positively associated with outgroup trust when the outgroup was perceived positively. Study 2 (N = 1576) replicated these results across Gambia (n = 236), Pakistan (n = 505), Tanzania (n = 337), and Uganda (n = 498), while also finding that perceptions of the relationship itself (e.g., whether cooperation was judged beneficial to the ingroup) similarly moderated the effect of identity fusion on willingness to cooperate. These results suggest that identity fusion can have positive consequences for intergroup relations, depending on contextual perceptions
Trust, Explainability and AI
No full textThere has been a surge of interest in explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). It is commonly claimed that explainability is necessary for trust in AI, and that this is why we need it. In this paper, I argue that for some notions of trust it is plausible that explainability is indeed a necessary condition. But that these kinds of trust are not appropriate for AI. For notions of trust that are appropriate for AI, explainability is not a necessary condition. I thus conclude that explainability is not necessary for trust in AI that matters
Perch proximity does not predict the probability of cuckoo parasitism in a woodland host
No full textObligate avian brood parasites typically impose great costs on their hosts by replacing the host's offspring with their own. Multiple theories have been put forward regarding which factors influence the probability that a host nest will be parasitized. One of these, the perch proximity hypothesis, predicts that nests that are close to trees are more likely to be parasitized, as trees provide a vantage point for the parasite to observe nest building by the host. Substantial support for this hypothesis has been found in several species of brood parasites that occur in a range of open habitats, such as reed beds, marshlands and grasslands, where vantage points are likely to be scarce. However, it is unclear whether this prediction applies to species that occupy woodland habitats. Although brood parasites may be more likely to exploit nests with suitable vantage points nearby, it is possible that a high density of vegetation might obscure the nest, thereby reducing the likelihood of parasitism. Here we used a long-term data set of superb fairy-wren, Malurus cyaneus, nests to test this hypothesis in the brood-parasitic Horsfield's bronze-cuckoo, Chalcites basalis. Contrary to the prediction of the perch proximity hypothesis, parasitism risk did not increase with closer proximity of a perch to the nest; instead, we show that the risk of parasitism may decrease as tree density increases. These results suggest that exploration of the host activity hypothesis and nest exposure hypothesis may be fruitful for future work in this system
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia to predict neurodevelopmental impairment in infants born extremely preterm.
No full textBACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in extremely low gestational age neonates (ELGANs) was associated with neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI). However, the best endpoint of BPD assessment to predict subsequent NDI remains unclear. METHODS: We re-analyzed the PREMILOC trial, previously designed to test the effect of prophylactic hydrocortisone on survival without BPD at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age (BPDW36) in ELGANs, to compare predictive models of NDI considering baseline characteristics, respiratory course up to and BPD status at 36 or 40 weeks of postmenstrual age (BPDW36/BPDW40). RESULTS: Among 404/519 (77.8%) infants enrolled in the trial alive at 2 years of age, all neurocognitive scores were available for 302 (74.8%) patients. Gestational diabetes and sex were identified as the only statistically significant baseline predictors of NDI. Adding BPDW40 to this baseline model was found to be superior to predict NDI compared to BPDW36, leading to a mean difference of the developmental quotient of -6.7 points (95% confidence interval: -10.0 to -3.50, P < 0.001). The prophylactic hydrocortisone treatment effect on survival without BPDW40 was found to be highly significant (OR = 2.08 [95% confidence interval: 1.36 to 3.17], P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest a better accuracy of BPDW40 to predict NDI in ELGANs, an important finding for future clinical trials and research in drug development. REGISTRATION NUMBERS: EudraCT number 2007-002041-20, ClinicalTrial.gov number, NCT00623740. IMPACT: The best endpoint to assess BPD as a surrogate to predict neurocognitive impairment in infants born extremely preterm remains unclear. This study strongly suggests a better discriminative value of BPD as assessed at 40 weeks of postmenstrual age (instead of 36 weeks) to predict neurocognitive impairments at 2 years of age in children born extremely preterm. This study supports the switch up to 40 weeks of the primary outcome chosen in future clinical trials designed to prevent BPD. Our data also provide evidence of the beneficial effect of HC on preventing BPD at full-term equivalent age
Hypnopaedia-Aware Machine Unlearning via Psychometrics of Artificial Mental Imagery
No full textNeural backdoors represent insidious cybersecurity loopholes that render learning machinery vulnerable to unauthorised manipulations, potentially enabling the weaponisation of artificial intelligence with catastrophic consequences. A backdoor attack involves the clandestine infiltration of a trigger during the learning process, metaphorically analogous to hypnopaedia, where ideas are implanted into a subject’s subconscious mind under the state of hypnosis or unconsciousness. When activated by a sensory stimulus, the trigger evokes a conditioned reflex that directs a machine to mount a predetermined response. In this study, we propose a cybernetic framework for constant surveillance of backdoor threats, driven by the dynamic nature of untrustworthy data sources. We develop a self-aware unlearning mechanism to autonomously detach a machine’s behaviour from the backdoor trigger. Through reverse engineering and statistical inference, we detect deceptive patterns and estimate the likelihood of backdoor infection. We employ model inversion to elicit artificial mental imagery, using stochastic processes to disrupt optimisation pathways and avoid convergent but potentially flawed patterns. This is followed by hypothesis analysis, which estimates the likelihood of each potentially malicious pattern as the true trigger and infers the probability of infection. The primary objective of this study is to maintain a stable state of equilibrium between knowledge fidelity and backdoor vulnerability
Relationship between sputum bacterial load and lung function in children with cystic fibrosis receiving tobramycin
No full textBackground: Chronic pulmonary infection with pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa is associated with lung function decline and increased mortality in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). The relationship between sputum bacterial load and the severity of pulmonary exacerbations remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between sputum bacterial load and clinical response to antibiotic treatment of pulmonary exacerbations in children with CF. Methods: Multicentre prospective longitudinal study of children with CF receiving IV tobramycin for a pulmonary exacerbation who had prior isolation of Gram-negative bacteria and able to expectorate sputum. Lung function (FEV1) and sputum bacterial load were assessed. Bacterial load was performed using quantitative PCR on either intact (live) bacterial cells or all bacterial DNA (live + dead) and targeted either P. aeruginosa only or all bacteria. Results: Twelve children (14 admissions) were enrolled and each provided ≥2 sputum samples; 11 children (13 admissions) also had ≥2 FEV1 measurements. In 10 admissions where FEV1 improved, five showed a reduction in all live bacteria, with a median reduction by 8.65 × 106 copies/g (73 % reduction). Live P. aeruginosa was detected in 8/10 children and in seven, a median reduction of 2.99 × 107 copies/g (90 % reduction) was observed. Improved FEV1 correlated with greater reductions in live + dead P. aeruginosa (ρ = −0.63, p = 0.04). Conclusion: A greater reduction in total sputum P. aeruginosa bacterial load (live + dead) was associated with improved lung function (FEV1) in children with CF receiving tobramycin
Global epidemiological trends in the incidence and mortality for melanoma
No full textThere is concern that increased surveillance is leading to the overdiagnosis of indolent melanomas that are not destined to be lethal. As overdiagnosis can only be appreciated at a population level, we analysed current and historical population trends of melanoma incidence and mortality worldwide. Epidemiological trends from GLOBOCAN data show signatures typical of overdiagnosis, with the magnitude of increased diagnoses far outpacing mortality for melanoma in most countries
Perioperative outcomes after interval cytoreductive surgery and primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer in Australia: A National Gynae-Oncology Registry (NGOR) study
No full textOBJECTIVE: The National Gynae-Oncology Registry (NGOR) is an Australian Clinical Quality Registry (CQR). This study reports data on surgical outcomes in patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery for Stage III-IV epithelial Ovarian/Tubal/Peritoneal (OTP) cancer between 2017 and 2022. This study aims to understand rates of perioperative adverse events, complete and optimal cytoreduction, and factors that contribute to this in addition to comparing overall survival (OS) in those who undergo primary cytoreduction (PCS) versus interval cytoreduction (ICS). In doing so, this study aims to evaluate current Australian practice. METHOD: All women with Stage III-IV epithelial OTP cancer who underwent cytoreductive surgery between 2017 and 2022 registered with the NGOR were included (N = 1084). Outcomes included: rates of postoperative complications (Clavien Dindo Grade III+), PCS and ICS, complete and optimal cytoreduction, OS, intraoperative complications, and the effects of rurality, performance status, age and socioeconomic status on these outcomes. RESULTS: PCS was undertaken in 470 (43 %) patients and ICS in 614 (57 %) patients. Postoperative complications were more common in those who underwent PCS versus ICS (p = 0.025 and p = 0.009 respectively). Optimal cytoreduction (macroscopic residual disease <1 cm) was more commonly achieved at ICS (p = 0.047). No difference was observed between groups for complete cytoreduction. Median OS was 4.1 years [IQR 3.9-4.4] with those undergoing PCS surviving longer than those who undergo ICS after propensity matching (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: ICS was associated with less perioperative morbidity, and increased rates of optimal cytoreduction when compared with PCS in patients with Stage III-IV epithelial OTP cancer. PCS was, however, associated with improved overall survival in this registry cohort. This is consistent with international literature and this study uses national CQR data to report on current Australian practice
Effectiveness and safety of perampanel by concomitant antiseizure medications: Insights from the real-world PERMIT Extension study
No full textThe PERMIT Extension study is the largest pooled analysis of perampanel (PER) clinical practice data to date. A post-hoc analysis of PERMIT Extension assessed the effectiveness and tolerability of PER with different concomitant antiseizure medication (ASM) regimens. Effectiveness was assessed by evaluating responder and seizure freedom rates at the last observation for each participant (‘last visit’), and tolerability was assessed by evaluating adverse events. The analysis included 5144 people with epilepsy who had only focal (n = 4347) or only generalised (n = 797) seizures when PER was initiated, and whose type of concomitant ASM regimen at that time was known. Effectiveness and tolerability varied considerably depending on the pharmacology and mechanism of action (MoA) of concomitant ASM regimens. For example, in individuals with focal seizures receiving only one concomitant ASM at baseline, seizure freedom rates were significantly higher if the concomitant ASM was one that binds to synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) versus one that does not bind to SV2A (41.7 % vs. 24.8 %; p < 0.001), and significantly lower if the concomitant ASM was a sodium channel blocker versus a non-sodium channel blocker (23.2 % vs. 35.6 %; p < 0.001); whereas, in those with generalised seizures receiving one concomitant ASM at baseline, there were no significant differences in seizure freedom rates according to the concomitant ASM's MoA. In individuals with focal and generalised seizures, tolerability appeared to be less affected by the pharmacology and MoA of concomitant ASM regimens. The findings from this study may help inform the use of rational polytherapy in clinical practice
Exercise promotes the functional integration of human stem cell-derived neural grafts in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease
No full textHuman pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived dopamine neurons can functionally integrate and reverse motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease models, motivating current clinical trials. However, dopamine neuron proportions remain low and their plasticity inferior to fetal tissue grafts. Evidence shows exercise can enhance neuron survival and plasticity, warranting investigation for hPSC-derived neural grafts. We show voluntary exercise (wheel running) significantly increases graft plasticity, accelerating motor recovery in animals receiving ectopic, but not homotopic, placed grafts, suggestive of threshold requirements. Plasticity was accompanied by increased phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK+) cells in the graft (and host), reflective of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-ERK signaling, a downstream target of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), proteins that were also elevated. Verifying improved graft integration was the increase in cFos+ postsynaptic striatal neurons. These findings have direct implications for the adoption of physical therapy-based approaches to enhance neural transplantation outcomes in future Parkinson's disease clinical trials