Perception of Real-World Without a Language

Perception of Real-World Without a Language Gian Carlo Buoiano C§, Mario Betti * and Paolo Bongioanni § §Neuroscience Dpt., University of Pisa; *CESER Center of Mental Health (Lucca), Italy C Corresponding author: Giancarlo Buoiano Via del Morello 8 Bargecchia I-55040 Corsanico (LU) Italy e-mail: [email protected] Abstract The aim of this study is to show how real-world knowledge works without language. Lelio is a 76-year-old man who has been profoundly deaf since birth like his mother and brothers. In the clinical history, Lelio’s father was reported as affected by an unspecified “cerebropathy”. Lelio’s two brothers had a relatively normal life. Lelio is illiterate like his mother and brothers: therefore Lelio grew up in a rather atypical relational context, developing a pathological affection for his mother and communicating through non-linguistically structured gestures. When his mother died Lelio was 31 and had some bursts of violence. In 1956 he was admitted in a psychiatric hospital with the diagnosis of “phrenastenia due to cerebropathy, microcephalia, deafness and mutism and probable epileptic crises”. During the 35-year hospitalization, there were no attempts to teach him “to read the lips” or use a structured sign language and, consequently, read and write. Since 1997 he has been living with his adoptive family. For these reasons, Lelio is a subject totally deprived of language. Apparently, he is unable to indicate a temporal sequence, but can understand simple gestures for “before” and “after”. Simple gestures of this kind are related to his needs and might constitute a primitive form of deictic communication not inserted in a linguistic network of relations: they could be a clue for the existence of an elementary form of temporal communication. Lelio can only produce signs linked to his immediate needs. We administered him a Comprehensive Test of Non-verbal Intelligence (CTONI)1 and a color categorization test. Lelio performed in two of three subtests closely to pre-school and pre-linguistic children who have not yet fully developed their frontal lobes. We found that categorical, contextual and abstract reasoning are highly impaired in the total absence of a structured language. However, a crucial point to clear up is whether his cognitive impairments are mainly due to a reduced brain function or primarily to the total lack of language. One hypothesis is that his deafness and reduced brain function have blocked the development of any form of language, thus severely worsening his cognitive abilities. Since the present study has been carried out on a single case, it waits for further evidence. For these reasons, Lelio is a subject totally deprived of language, at least in the conventional sense. At the moment he attends a group of Theatre Therapy. In this group he uses some very simple gestures to communicate with the others. We have video-recorded Lelio and analysed these signs. They are highly iconic and deictic: i.e., he has a sign for “cat” (two raised fingers on the ears) a sign for “umbrella” (the gesture to open an umbrella), a sign for “toilette” (a raised finger). He doesn’t seem capable of indicating a temporal sequence, but he seems to understand simple gestures for “before” and “after”. He does not produce any sign that is not linked to his immediate needs. The cognitive evolution of the subject leaves open an interpretation according to which the passage from the imagistic way of thinking to the alphanumeric way of reasoning is missing. This lack can be seen as the basis that reveal an archaic and primitive thinking, where the objects are always seen in their concrete and functional perspective and Lelio’s way of thinking could precisely be of this kind

A Hybrid Approach for the Random Dynamics of Uncertain Systems under Stochastic Loading

This paper presents a hybrid Galerkin/perturbation approach based on Radial Basis Functions for the dynamic analysis of mechanical systems affected by randomness both in their parameters and loads. In specialized literature various procedures are nowadays available to evaluate the response statistics of such systems, but sometimes a choice has to be made between simpler methods (that could provide unreliable solutions) and more complex methods (where accurate solutions are provided by means of a heavy computational effort). The proposed method combines a Radial Basis Functions (RBF) based Galerkin method with a perturbation approach for the approximation of the system response. In order to keep the number of differential equations to be solved as low as possible, a Karhunen-Loève (KL) expansion for the excitation is used. As case study a non-linear single degree of freedom (SDOF) system with random parameters subjected to a stochastic windtype load is analyzed and discussed in detail; obtained numerical solutions are compared with the results given by Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) to provide a validation of the proposed approach. The proposed method could be a valid alternative to the classical procedures as it is able to provide satisfactory approximations of the system response

Cavitand receptors for environmental monitoring

The design, synthesis, and characterization of cavitand based materials for application in chemical sensing and environmental analyses are the main topic of this thesis. The thesis is organized in three main projects: (1) The development of a portable miniaturized system for environmental monitoring of benzene in outdoor air. Using quinoxaline cavitands as preconcentration unit, it is possible to detect benzene at ppb level with MOX sensors. The sensor has shown efficient performances not only in laboratory tests but also in real world measurements. (2) The development of a coating, with molecular recognition ability, for solid phase microextraction fibers (SPME) for aromatic VOCs from aqueous samples. With this coated fibers it is possible to sample and selectively desorb aromatic analytes at ppt level in presence of aliphatic interferents. (3) The design and characterization of highly specific fluorescent molecular receptors for short chain alcohols. The introduction of an appropriate fluorescent probe allows the specific detection of alcohols complexed into the cavity in the solid state.Il principale argomento di questa tesi è la progettazione, preparazione e caratterizzazione di materiali a base di cavitandi per applicazioni in campo sensoristico ed analitico. La tesi è stata sviluppata in tre temi principali: (1) Creazione di un sistema miniaturizzato portatile per il monitoraggio ambientale del benzene in aria. Utilizzando cavitandi chinossalinici come unità di preconcentrazione è stato possibile rilevare, con sensori MOX, benzene a livello di ppb direttamente dall’ambiente esterno. Il sensore realizzato si è dimostrato efficiente non solo nei test in laboratorio ma anche nelle prove in ambiente reale. (2) Realizzazione di un coating con proprietà di riconoscimento molecolare, mediante tecnica sol-gel, di fibre per microestrazione in fase solida (SPME) per analiti aromatici da campioni acquosi. Con questo materiale si possono campionare e desorbire selettivamente analiti aromatici a livello di ppt in presenza di interferenti alifatici. (3) Progettazione e caratterizzazione di recettori molecolari fluorescenti altamente specifici per la rilevazione di alcoli lineari a catena corta. L’introduzione di un gruppo fluorescente opportuno permette la determinazione specifica di alcoli in cavità allo stato solido

User indoor localisation system enhances activity recognition: A proof of concept

Older people would like to live independently in their home as long as possible. They want to reduce the risk of domestic accidents because of polypharmacy, physical weakness and other mental illnesses, which could increase the risks of domestic accidents (i.e. a fall). Changes in the behaviour of healthy older people could be correlated with cognitive disorders; consequently, early intervention could delay the deterioration of the disease. Over the last few years, activity recognition systems have been developed to support the management of senior citizensâ\u80\u99 daily life. In this context, this paper aims to go beyond the state-of-the-art presenting a proof of concept where information on body movement, vital signs and userâ\u80\u99s indoor locations are aggregated to improve the activity recognition task. The presented system has been tested in a realistic environment with three users in order to assess the feasibility of the proposed method. These results encouraged the use of this approach in activity recognition applications; indeed, the overall accuracy values, amongst others, are satisfactory increased (+2.67% DT, +7.39% SVM, +147.37% NN)

'HighChest': An augmented freezer designed for smart food management and promotion of eco-efficient behaviour

This paper introduces HighChest, an innovative smart freezer designed to promote energy efficient behavior and the responsible use of food. Introducing a novel humanâmachine interface (HMI) design developed through assessment phases and a user involvement stage, HighChest is state of the art, featuring smart services that exploit embedded sensors and Internet of things functionalities, which enhance the local capabilities of the appliance. The industrial design thinking approach followed for the advanced HMI is intended to maximize the social impact of the food management service, enhancing both the user experience of the product and the userâs willingness to adopt eco- and energy-friendly behaviors. The sensor equipment realizes automatic recognition of food by learning from the users, as well as automatic localization inside the deposit space. Moreover, it provides monitoring of the applianceâs usage, avoiding temperature and humidity issues related to improper use. Experimental tests were conducted to evaluate the localization system, and the results showed 100% accuracy for weights greater or equal to 0.5 kg. Drifts due to the lid opening and prolonged usage time were also measured, to implement automatic reset corrections

Population trends of the fan mussel Pinna nobilis from Portofino MPA (Ligurian Sea, Western Mediterranean Sea) before and after a mass mortality event and a catastrophic storm

Two Pinna nobilis populations thriving inside the borders of the Portofino Marine Protected Area (MPA) (Ligurian Sea, western Mediterranean Sea) were monitored before (2012) and after (September 2018) a dire mass mortality event that, since September 2016, spread through the whole Mediterranean Sea. In Portofino MPA, recorded mortality rates reached values of 91.29% and 43.94% in the two populations. The presence of a Haplosporidium protozoan parasite, considered to be the main cause of the mortality episodes, was confirmed from histological evidence: sporocysts and plasmodia were observed in all the tubules of the digestive glands of the collected specimens. Moreover, a catastrophic storm hit the Ligurian coasts at the end of October 2018, causing considerable damages both below and above the surface; a new survey conducted in November 2018 showed the complete annihilation of the two studied populations, as a probable combination of the continued parasite infections and the mechanical impacts caused by the storm. Finally, in June 2020 the sites were monitored again looking for traces of recovery, but no new specimens were recorded, indicating that P. nobilis became virtually absent from the MPA

Two-Dimensional Aortic Size Normalcy: A Novelty Detection Approach

Background: To develop a tool for assessing normalcy of the thoracic aorta (TA) by echocardiography, based on either a linear regression model (Z-score), or a machine learning technique, namely one-class support vector machine (OC-SVM) (Q-score). Methods: TA diameters were measured in 1112 prospectively enrolled healthy subjects, aging 5 to 89 years. Considering sex, age and body surface area we developed two calculators based on the traditional Z-score and the novel Q-score. The calculators were compared in 198 adults with TA > 40 mm, and in 466 patients affected by either Marfan syndrome or bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). Results: Q-score attained a better Area Under the Curve (0.989; 95% CI 0.984–0.993, sensitivity = 97.5%, specificity = 95.4%) than Z-score (0.955; 95% CI 0.942–0.967, sensitivity = 81.3%, specificity = 93.3%; p 40 mm. The prevalence of TA dilatation in Marfan and BAV patients was higher as Z-score > 2 than as Q-score p Conclusions: Q-score is a novel tool for assessing TA normalcy based on a model requiring less assumptions about the distribution of the relevant variables. Notably, diameters do not need to depend linearly on anthropometric measurements. Additionally, Q-score can capture the joint distribution of these variables with all four diameters simultaneously, thus accounting for the overall aortic shape. This approach results in a lower rate of predicted TA abnormalcy in patients at risk of TA aneurysm. Further prognostic studies will be necessary for assessing the relative effectiveness of Q-score versus Z-score

The Impact of Crystal Light Yield Non-Proportionality on a Typical Calorimetric Space Experiment: Beam Test Measurements and Monte Carlo Simulations

Calorimetric space experiments were employed for the direct measurements of cosmic-ray spectra above the TeV region. According to several theoretical models and recent measurements, relevant features in both electron and nucleus fluxes are expected. Unfortunately, sizable disagreements among the current results of different space calorimeters exist. In order to improve the accuracy of future experiments, it is fundamental to understand the reasons of these discrepancies, especially since they are not compatible with the quoted experimental errors. A few articles of different collaborations suggest that a systematic error of a few percentage points related to the energy-scale calibration could explain these differences. In this work, we analyze the impact of the nonproportionality of the light yield of scintillating crystals on the energy scale of typical calorimeters. Space calorimeters are usually calibrated by employing minimal ionizing particles (MIPs), e.g., nonshowering proton or helium nuclei, which feature different ionization density distributions with respect to particles included in showers. By using the experimental data obtained by the CaloCube collaboration and a minimalist model of the light yield as a function of the ionization density, several scintillating crystals (BGO, CsI(Tl), LYSO, YAP, YAG and BaF2) are characterized. Then, the response of a few crystals is implemented inside the Monte Carlo simulation of a space calorimeter to check the energy deposited by electromagnetic and hadronic showers. The results of this work show that the energy scale obtained by MIP calibration could be affected by sizable systematic errors if the nonproportionality of scintillation light is not properly taken into account