Heterogeneous Effects of Intergenerational Social Mobility: An Improved Method and New Evidence

Intergenerational social mobility has immense implications for individuals’ well-being, attitudes, and behaviors. However, previous methods may be unreliable for estimating heterogeneous mobility effects, especially in the presence of moderate- or large-scale intergenerational mobility. I propose an improved method, called the “mobility contrast model” (MCM). Using simulation evidence, I demonstrate that the MCM is more flexible and reliable for estimating and testing heterogeneous mobility effects, and the results are robust to the scale of intergenerational mobility. I revisit the debate about the effect of mobility on fertility and analyze data from the 1962 Occupational Changes in a Generation Study (OCG-1) and more recent data from the 1974 through 2018 General Social Survey (GSS) using previous models and the MCM. The MCM suggests a small association between fertility and occupational mobility in the GSS data but substantial and heterogeneous educational mobility effects on fertility in the OCG-1 and the GSS. Such effects are difficult to pinpoint using previous methods because mobility effects of different magnitudes and opposite directions among mobility groups may cancel each other out. The new method can be extended to investigate the effect of intergenerational mobility across multiple generations and other research areas, including immigrant assimilation and heterogamy.

IL-6 and IL-10 gene polymorphisms and cirrhosis of liver risk from a comprehensive analysis

Background Different inflammatory and immune cytokines play a key role in the development of cirrhosis of liver (CL). To investigate the association between interleukin-6,10 (IL-6,10) genes polymorphisms and CL risk through comparison of the allele and genotype distribution frequencies by meta-analysis. Methods A literature search covered with the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, SinoMed (CNKI and Wanfang) through 20th April, 2021. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the strength of associations. Results After a comprehensive search, three common polymorphisms (rs1800872, rs1800871, rs1800896) in IL-10 gene were selected, and three common polymorphisms (rs1800795, rs1800796, rs1800797) in IL-6 gene were also identified. The important finding was that IL-10 rs1800872 was a risk factor for CL development. For example, there has a significantly increased relationship between rs1800872 polymorphism and CL both in the whole group (OR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.01–1.67 in heterozygote model), Asian population (OR: 1.40, 95%CI: 1.03–1.88 in heterozygote model) and hospital-based source of control (OR: 1.40, 95%CI: 1.01–1.96 in dominant model). In addition, significant association was found between rs1800896 and primary biliary cirrhosis subtype disease (OR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.01–1.68 in allelic contrast model). No association was observed in all three polymorphisms in IL-6 gene. Conclusion Our present study suggests that the IL-10 rs1800872 and rs1800896 polymorphisms is potentially associated with the risk of CL susceptibility.

Modeling chromatic contrast sensitivity across different background colors and luminance

In this research we compare chromatic contrast sensitivity models for two separate datasets and for the pooled dataset. They were obtained from two studies employing a very similar experimental paradigm. The data represent threshold visibilities of chromatic Gabor patterns varying in spatial frequency, background chromaticity, direction of color modulation and luminance, at constant stimulus size. Using the extended data set, we reconfirm our previously reported finding that a model based on coloropponent contrast signals is an improvement over a cone contrast model. However, when linear background scaling in classic cone contrast is replaced by nonlinear background scaling, an improvement of almost similar size is obtained. The results of this study can be of interest for the development of vision models employing the processing of spatio-chromatic information.

Robust logistic zero-sum regression for microbiome compositional data

We introduce the Robust Logistic Zero-Sum Regression (RobLZS) estimator, which can be used for a two-class problem with high-dimensional compositional covariates. Since the log-contrast model is employed, the estimator is able to do feature selection among the compositional parts. The proposed method attains robustness by minimizing a trimmed sum of deviances. A comparison of the performance of the RobLZS estimator with a non-robust counterpart and with other sparse logistic regression estimators is conducted via Monte Carlo simulation studies. Two microbiome data applications are considered to investigate the stability of the estimators to the presence of outliers. Robust Logistic Zero-Sum Regression is available as an R package that can be downloaded at https://github.com/giannamonti/RobZS.

The Straw That Broke the Camel’s Back: Natural Variations in 17β-Estradiol and COMT-Val158Met Genotype Interact in the Modulation of Model-Free and Model-Based Control

The sex hormone estradiol has recently gained attention in human decision-making research. Animal studies have already shown that estradiol promotes dopaminergic transmission and thus supports reward-seeking behavior and aspects of addiction. In humans, natural variations of estradiol across the menstrual cycle modulate the ability to learn from direct performance feedback (“model-free” learning). However, it remains unclear whether estradiol also influences more complex “model-based” contributions to reinforcement learning. Here, 41 women were tested twice – in the low and high estradiol state of the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle – with a Two-Step decision task designed to separate model-free from model-based learning. The results showed that in the high estradiol state women relied more heavily on model-free learning, and accomplished reduced performance gains, particularly during the more volatile periods of the task that demanded increased learning effort. In contrast, model-based control remained unaltered by the influence of hormonal state across the group. Yet, when accounting for individual differences in the genetic proxy of the COMT-Val158Met polymorphism (rs4680), we observed that only the participants homozygote for the methionine allele (n = 12; with putatively higher prefrontal dopamine) experienced a decline in model-based control when facing volatile reward probabilities. This group also showed the increase in suboptimal model-free control, while the carriers of the valine allele remained unaffected by the rise in endogenous estradiol. Taken together, these preliminary findings suggest that endogenous estradiol may affect the balance between model-based and model-free control, and particularly so in women with a high prefrontal baseline dopamine capacity and in situations of increased environmental volatility.

Prinsip Ekologis Untuk Kehidupan Berkelanjutan Perspektif Teologi Islam: Kajian Atas Kitab Rasail al-Nur Sa`id Nursi

<p><span lang="EN-US">Sa`id Nursi argues that nature and the environment have fixed principles that function to maintain the continuity of life while problems arise when the patterns of human environmental activity tend to contradict these principles so that life is threatened. This paper discusses the principles of ecology according to Sa`id Nursi as the basis for implementing the sustainable living agenda. Primary data of this qualitative study were obtained from Rasail al-Nurwhich was described as well as analyzed using a compare and contrast model with relevant environmental theories. The two findings of this study are that Nursi first built an ecological principle based on the tajalli principle of <em>al-asma al-husna</em>, namely cleansing (<em>at-tandzif</em>) the manifestation of <em>al-Quddus</em>, interdependence (at-<em>tasanud</em>) of <em>al-Fard's</em> manifestation, harmony (<em>at-ta`awun</em>) <em>al-Fard</em>, dynamic balance (<em>at-iqtishad wa al muwawazanah</em>) manifestation of <em>al-hakim</em>. Second, Nursi considers humans to be caliphs because they have the most perfect ecological elements in manifesting the attributes of Allah Almighty. Sa`id Nursi emphasized that the human community must maintain and implement this principle for the sustainability of the nature it occupies. The sustainability of life is directly proportional to the implementation of ecological principles.</span></p>

Association of apolipoprotein B XbaI (rs693) polymorphism and gallstone disease risk based on a comprehensive analysis

Background Our aim was to investigate the association between XbaI gene polymorphisms in the apolipoprotein B (APOB) gene and gallstone disease (GD) risk through a comparison of the allele and genotype distribution frequencies at this site using meta-analysis. Methods A literature search was performed using PubMed and Wanfang through Jun 1, 2020. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of associations. Results After a comprehensive search, 14 different articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected, with 1583 cases and 1794 controls. Individuals carrying the A-allele or AA genotype of the rs693 polymorphism were determined to possibly have an increased risk of GD. For example, there was a significant relationship between the rs693 polymorphism and increased GD risk in the whole group (OR: 1.40, 95 % CI: 1.05–1.87 in the allelic contrast model), the Asian population (OR: 1.58, 95 % CI: 1.48–2.84 in the heterozygote model), and the hospital-based source of the control (OR: 1.79, 95 % CI: 1.13–2.84 in the dominant model). Conclusions This study suggests that the APOB rs693 polymorphism is potentially associated with GD susceptibility, which might offer a detection marker for use in future large scale clinic research.

Association of the rs17250932, rs4794067 and rs2240017 polymorphism in the TBX21 gene with autoimmune diseases

Objective: To evaluate systematically the association between TBX21 gene polymorphisms (rs17250932, rs2240017, and rs4794067) and the risk of autoimmune diseases in Asian populations. Methods: The Medline, Web of Science, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were used to retrieve eligible studies that were published before July 2020. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated by using the dominant model, heterozygote contrast model, and allelic contrast model. Publication bias was evaluated using contour-enhanced funnel plots and Egger’s regression test. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of this meta-analysis.Results: A total of 12 eligible studies, including 3834 patients and 4824 healthy controls, were recruited in this meta-analysis. The pooled data demonstrated that TBX21 rs2240017 and rs4794067 polymorphisms were significantly associated with the risk of autoimmune diseases in Asian populations in allelic contrast model (OR: 1.456, 95% CI: 1.131–1.875, P = 0.004; OR: 0.766, 95% CI: 0.615–0.954, P = 0.017), heterozygote comparison model (OR: 1.647, 95% CI: 1.239–2.189, P = 0.001; OR: 0.796, 95% CI: 0.634–0.999, P = 0.049), and dominant model (OR: 1.572, 95% CI: 1.194–2.071, P = 0.004; OR: 0.767, 95% CI: 0.607–0.970, P = 0.027). The G allele of rs2240017 may be a risk factor for autoimmune diseases, and the T allele of rs4794067 may increase the risk of autoimmune diseases. However, we failed to find evidence of the association between TBX21 rs17250932 polymorphism and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. No publication bias was established in this meta-analysis.Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicated that TBX21 rs2240017 and rs4794067 polymorphism confer susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, but not rs17250932.

Understanding the information content in gravity gradiometry data through constrained inversions for salt bodies

Gravity gradiometry inversion can provide important knowledge about a salt body and assist in subsalt imaging. However, such inversions are faced with difficulties associated with the lack of response from the nil zone in which the salt density is nearly identical to that of the background sediments and weak signals from the deeper portion of the salt. It is well understood that such difficulties could be alleviated by incorporating prior information, such as the top of salt from seismic imaging and petrophysical data, into the inversions. How to effectively incorporate such prior information is still a challenge, and what level of increased knowledge such constrained inversions can provide remains to be understood. We have investigated and compared the additional knowledge provided by incorporating different forms of prior information, including a top-of-salt surface, and an expected density contrast model. These different types of information are incorporated through different strategies of constrained inversion, including an inversion with bound constraints on the density contrast, inversion after a reduction-to-binary process, and discrete-valued inversion. We apply these strategies first to synthetic gravity gradiometry data calculated from the SEG/EAGE salt body and evaluate the improvements to the recovered salt provided from successive imposition of increased prior information. We further apply the strategies to a set of marine gravity gradiometry data collected in the Gulf of Mexico and examine the additional knowledge gained from the imaging of the salt in the region. We show that much more valuable knowledge about the salt can be obtained with the right prior information imposed through an effective strategy, and demonstrate that such gravity gradiometry data contain information about the salt body at depths much greater than previously recognized.

Music Classification and Detection of Location Factors of Feature Words in Complex Noise Environment

In order to solve the problem of the influence of feature word position in lyrics on music emotion classification, this paper designs a music classification and detection model in complex noise environment. Firstly, an intelligent detection algorithm for electronic music signals under complex noise scenes is proposed, which can solve the limitations existing in the current electronic music signal detection process. At the same time, denoising technology is introduced to eliminate the noise and extract the features from the signal. Secondly, from the perspective of audio and lyrics of song sentiment analysis and the unique characteristics of lyrics text, a lyric sentiment analysis method based on text title and position weight is proposed. Finally, considering the influence of the weight of feature words in different positions on the classification of lyrics, the analytic hierarchy process is used to calculate the weight of feature words in different positions of text title and lyrics before, in, and after the text. The results show that in the complex noise environment, the accuracy of music classification and detection of the proposed model is more than 90%, which is far beyond the control range of the actual application of music processing. The effect of music classification and detection is better than that of the contrast model, which has a certain practical application value.