“Media Use and the Analytical Brain”: Screen-Based Media Use and Behavioral Preference in Indonesian Children: [“Penggunaan Media dan Otak Analitik”: Penggunaan Media Berbasis Layar dan Preferensi Perilaku Anak Indonesia]

This study aims to examine the relationship between screen-based media use and autistic features. The present study involved 207 parents of Indonesian children 4-6 years old and 10-12 years old. Parents completed several questionnaires addressing children screen-based activities and level of autistic traits. The questionnaires are: (1) a screen-based media survey; (2) Empathizing-Systemizing Quotients (EQ-SQ Child); and (3) The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ-Child). An online survey was utilized to collect all study data. The results showed that children spent more than four hours on average per day with media use. The regression analysis indicated that total time spent by children on media use shows a positive correlation with systemizing. The total time spent by children on media use also positively correlated with the extreme male brain condition. The total time spent on screen-based media use did not significantly contribute to explaining the variance of empathizing. However, empathizing is negatively correlated with time devoted in watching activities (television, videos, and movies) and playing video games. The more children spend time playing in video games, the more the autism quotient (AQ) score increases. Finally, the current study provides empirical evidence for a relation of screen-based media use and autistic features in children. The findings suggest that the duration of screen-time are significant predictors of systemizing and extreme male behavior, albeit the significance for empathizing depends on the type of media. The results highlight the clinical importance of examining screen-based media use among children.   Studi ini bertujuan untuk menguji hubungan antara penggunaan media berbasis layar dengan karakteristik autisme. Studi ini melibatkan 207 orang tua di Indonesia yang memiliki anak berusia 4-6 tahun dan 10-12 tahun. Orang tua menyelesaikan beberapa survei secara daring. Kuesioner tersebut terdiri dari: (1) survei mengenai durasi penggunaan media berbasis layar pada anak; (2) skala Empathizing-Systemizing Quotient (EQ-SQ Child); dan (3) skala Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ-Child). Hasil studi menunjukkan bahwa anak menghabiskan waktu secara rerata lebih dari empat jam per hari dengan penggunaan media. Analisis regresi menunjukkan bahwa durasi total penggunaan media berkorelasi positif dengan tingkat sistemisasi anak dan extreme male brain behavior, namun tidak berkontribusi secara signifikan dalam menjelaskan tingkat empati anak. Tingkat empati secara spesifik berkorelasi negatif dengan waktu yang digunakan untuk aktivitas menonton (televisi, video, dan film) dan bermain video game. Semakin lama durasi anak bermain video game, maka skor autism quotient (AQ) juga meningkat. Dengan demikian, studi ini memberikan bukti empiris mengenai hubungan penggunaan media berbasis layar dengan karakteristik autisme pada anak. Durasi penggunaan media berbasis layar adalah prediktor yang siginifikan untuk tingkat sistemasi dan extreme male brain behavior, sedangkan tingkat berempati anak lebih dipengaruhi oleh jenis media. Hasil studi ini menyoroti pentingnya memperhatikan dampak dari penggunaan media berbasis layar pada anak

The Effects of Fractions from Shiitake Mushroom on Composition and Cariogenicity of Dental Plaque Microcosms in an In Vitro Caries Model

The aim of the current study was to investigate the anticariogenic potential of the (sub)fractions obtained from the edible mushroom shiitake (Lentinula edodes) in in vitro caries model. We used a modified constant depth film fermentor (CDFF) with pooled saliva as the inoculum and bovine dentin as a substratum. The test compounds were low molecular weight fraction (MLMW) of the shiitake extract and subfractions 4 and 5 (SF4 and SF5) of this fraction. Chlorhexidine (CHX) and water served as a positive and a negative control, respectively. Dentin mineral loss was quantified (TMR), microbial shifts within the microcosms were determined (qPCR), and the acidogenicity of the microcosms was assessed (CIA). From the compounds tested, the SF4 of shiitake showed strong inhibiting effect on dentin demineralization and induced microbial shifts that could be associated with oral health. The acid producing potential was increased, suggesting uncoupling of the glycolysis of the microbiota by the exposure to SF4. In conclusion, the results suggest that SF4 of shiitake has an anticariogenic potential

Effects of Fruit and Vegetable Low Molecular Mass Fractions on Gene Expression in Gingival Cells Challenged with Prevotella intermedia and Actinomyces naeslundii

Low molecular mass (LMM) fractions obtained from extracts of raspberry, red chicory, and Shiitake mushrooms have been shown to be an useful source of specific antibacterial, antiadhesion/coaggregation, and antibiofilm agent(s) that might be used for protection towards caries and gingivitis. In this paper, the effects of such LMM fractions on human gingival KB cells exposed to the periodontal pathogens Prevotella intermedia and Actinomyces naeslundii were evaluated. Expression of cytokeratin 18 (CK18) and β4 integrin (β4INT) genes, that are involved in cell proliferation/differentiation and adhesion, and of the antimicrobial peptide β2 defensin (HβD2) in KB cells was increased upon exposure to either live or heat-killed bacteria. All LMM fractions tested prevented or reduced the induction of gene expression by P. intermedia and A. naeslundii depending on the experimental conditions. Overall, the results suggested that LMM fractions could modulate the effects of bacteria associated with periodontal disease in gingival cells

Distributed Ledger for Provenance Tracking of Artificial Intelligence Assets

High availability of data is responsible for the current trends in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). However, high-grade datasets are reluctantly shared between actors because of lacking trust and fear of losing control. Provenance tracing systems are a possible measure to build trust by improving transparency. Especially the tracing of AI assets along complete AI value chains bears various challenges such as trust, privacy, confidentiality, traceability, and fair remuneration. In this paper we design a graph-based provenance model for AI assets and their relations within an AI value chain. Moreover, we propose a protocol to exchange AI assets securely to selected parties. The provenance model and exchange protocol are then combined and implemented as a smart contract on a permission-less blockchain. We show how the smart contract enables the tracing of AI assets in an existing industry use case while solving all challenges. Consequently, our smart contract helps to increase traceability and transparency, encourages trust between actors and thus fosters collaboration between them

“Media Use and the Analytical Brain”: Screen-Based Media Use and Behavioral Preference in Indonesian Children [“Penggunaan Media dan Otak Analitik”: Penggunaan Media Berbasis Layar dan Preferensi Perilaku Anak Indonesia]

This study aims to examine the relationship between screen-based media use and autistic features. The present study involved 207 parents of Indonesian children 4-6 years old and 10-12 years old. Parents completed several questionnaires addressing children screen-based activities and level of autistic traits. The questionnaires are: (1) a screen-based media survey; (2) Empathizing-Systemizing Quotients (EQ-SQ Child); and (3) The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ-Child). An online survey was utilized to collect all study data. The results showed that children spent more than four hours on average per day with media use. The regression analysis indicated that total time spent by children on media use shows a positive correlation with systemizing. The total time spent by children on media use also positively correlated with the extreme male brain condition. The total time spent on screen-based media use did not significantly contribute to explaining the variance of empathizing. However, empathizing is negatively correlated with time devoted in watching activities (television, videos, and movies) and playing video games. The more children spend time playing in video games, the more the autism quotient (AQ) score increases. Finally, the current study provides empirical evidence for a relation of screen-based media use and autistic features in children. The findings suggest that the duration of screen-time are significant predictors of systemizing and extreme male behavior, albeit the significance for empathizing depends on the type of media. The results highlight the clinical importance of examining screen-based media use among children. Studi ini bertujuan untuk menguji hubungan antara penggunaan media berbasis layar dengan karakteristik autisme. Studi ini melibatkan 207 orang tua di Indonesia yang memiliki anak berusia 4-6 tahun dan 10-12 tahun. Orang tua menyelesaikan beberapa survei secara daring. Kuesioner tersebut terdiri dari: (1) survei mengenai durasi penggunaan media berbasis layar pada anak; (2) skala Empathizing-Systemizing Quotient (EQ-SQ Child); dan (3) skala Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ-Child). Hasil studi menunjukkan bahwa anak menghabiskan waktu secara rerata lebih dari empat jam per hari dengan penggunaan media. Analisis regresi menunjukkan bahwa durasi total penggunaan media berkorelasi positif dengan tingkat sistemisasi anak dan extreme male brain behavior, namun tidak berkontribusi secara signifikan dalam menjelaskan tingkat empati anak. Tingkat empati secara spesifik berkorelasi negatif dengan waktu yang digunakan untuk aktivitas menonton (televisi, video, dan film) dan bermain video game. Semakin lama durasi anak bermain video game, maka skor autism quotient (AQ) juga meningkat. Dengan demikian, studi ini memberikan bukti empiris mengenai hubungan penggunaan media berbasis layar dengan karakteristik autisme pada anak. Durasi penggunaan media berbasis layar adalah prediktor yang siginifikan untuk tingkat sistemasi dan extreme male brain behavior, sedangkan tingkat berempati anak lebih dipengaruhi oleh jenis media. Hasil studi ini menyoroti pentingnya memperhatikan dampak dari penggunaan media berbasis layar pada anak

Manipulation of Fgf and Bmp signaling in teleost fishes suggests potential pathways for the evolutionary origin of multicuspid teeth

Teeth with two or more cusps have arisen independently from an ancestral unicuspid condition in a variety of vertebrate lineages, including sharks, teleost fishes, amphibians, lizards, and mammals. One potential explanation for the repeated origins of multicuspid teeth is the existence of multiple adaptive pathways leading to them, as suggested by their different uses in these lineages. Another is that the addition of cusps required only minor changes in genetic pathways regulating tooth development. Here we provide support for the latter hypothesis by demonstrating that manipulation of the levels of Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) or Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signaling produces bicuspid teeth in the zebrafish (Danio rerio), a species lacking multicuspid teeth in its ancestry. The generality of these results for teleosts is suggested by the conversion of unicuspid pharyngeal teeth into bicuspid teeth by similar manipulations of the Mexican Tetra (Astyanax mexicanus). That these manipulations also produced supernumerary teeth in both species supports previous suggestions of similarities in the molecular control of tooth and cusp number. We conclude that despite their apparent complexity, the evolutionary origin of multicuspid teeth is positively constrained, likely requiring only slight modifications of a pre-existing mechanism for patterning the number and spacing of individual teeth. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc