Measuring integrated information from the decoding perspective

Accumulating evidence indicates that the capacity to integrate information in the brain is a prerequisite for consciousness. Integrated Information Theory (IIT) of consciousness provides a mathematical approach to quantifying the information integrated in a system, called integrated information, $\Phi$. Integrated information is defined theoretically as the amount of information a system generates as a whole, above and beyond the sum of the amount of information its parts independently generate. IIT predicts that the amount of integrated information in the brain should reflect levels of consciousness. Empirical evaluation of this theory requires computing integrated information from neural data acquired from experiments, although difficulties with using the original measure $\Phi$ precludes such computations. Although some practical measures have been previously proposed, we found that these measures fail to satisfy the theoretical requirements as a measure of integrated information. Measures of integrated information should satisfy the lower and upper bounds as follows: The lower bound of integrated information should be 0 when the system does not generate information (no information) or when the system comprises independent parts (no integration). The upper bound of integrated information is the amount of information generated by the whole system and is realized when the amount of information generated independently by its parts equals to 0. Here we derive the novel practical measure $\Phi^*$ by introducing a concept of mismatched decoding developed from information theory. We show that $\Phi^*$ is properly bounded from below and above, as required, as a measure of integrated information. We derive the analytical expression $\Phi^*$ under the Gaussian assumption, which makes it readily applicable to experimental data

The association between social camouflage and mental health among autistic people in Japan and the UK: a cross-cultural study

BACKGROUND: To examine the relationship between social camouflage and mental health in Japanese autistic adults and make an international comparison with a sample from the UK. METHODS: This study analysed secondary data of participants with a self-reported diagnosis of autism from Japan (N = 210; 123 men and 87 women) and the UK (N = 305; 181 women, 104, men, and 18 nonbinary). The relationships between the quadratic term of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire and mental health scales, including depression and anxiety, were assessed. RESULTS: The UK sample showed linear relationships, whereas the Japanese sample showed significant nonlinear relationships. The quadratic terms of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire slightly explained generalised anxiety (β = .168, p = .007), depression (β = .121, p = .045), and well-being (β = - .127, p = .028). However, they did not explain the association between social anxiety and the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire. LIMITATIONS: Participants had self-reported diagnoses, and while the autism-spectrum quotient provides a cut-off value for screening, it does not enable confirming diagnoses. Mean scores of the Japanese version of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire were lower as compared to the original CAT-Q, which implies that the social camouflage strategy types used by autistic people in Japan and the UK could differ. The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences. CONCLUSION: In the UK, more social camouflage was associated with poorer mental health scores, whereas too little or too much social camouflage was associated with a low mental health score in Japan. The Japanese population is seemingly less aware of and educated on autistic characteristics and considers 'average' behaviour a good thing. This could influence Japanese autistic people's social camouflage use, differing from that of autistic people in the UK. The differences in the relationship between social camouflage and mental health between Japan and the UK could be associated with national-level divergence regarding the culture of autism

Predictive Evaluation of the Effects of Biliary Decompression by Biliary ICG Clearance Test (ICG Bmax) for Patients with Obstructive Jaundice

To quantitate the effects of biliary decompression on hepatic functional reserve before operation in patietns with obstructive jaundice, we developed a new method of maximal hepatic removal of indocyanine green in the bile (ICG Bmax). This was calculated from the peak ICG concentration in the bile and the peak concentration time after its administration via antecubital vein using regression analysis. This study involved 13 normal controls and 26 jaundiced patients. ICG Bmax of the normal controls indicated more than 0.5. Among the jaundiced patients. 17 showed an ICG Bmax value of more than -0.5 early during biliary decompression and 87% of them satisfactorily tolerated further radical operation. The remaining patients in whom ICG Bmax initially showed less than -0.5, but 67% of them had an unfavorable outcome postoperatively. Six of the nine patients whose ICG Bmax was less than -0.5 prior to operation suffered severe postoperative complication, and three of whom died from hepatic failure. These results indicated that ICG Bmax evaluation during an early period of biliary decompression provided a reliable asseessment of the effects and a prediction of biliary drainage. ICG Bmax evaluation is also useful to the timely decision of radical operation

Does Degree of the Pelvic Deformity Affect the Accuracy of Computed Tomography-Based Hip Navigation?

Although some navigation systems have been used for improvement of component positioning, there have been few reports regarding cases of severe pelvic deformity. We performed a retrospective review of 25 cases of total hip arthroplasty with a computed tomography-based navigation system in patients with severe pelvic deformities and estimated acetabular component position and angle between severe deformity group and mild dysplastic group as a control. There were no significant differences in accuracy of navigation system between 2 groups in terms of 3-dimensional component position or angle. Accuracy of computed tomography-based hip navigation does not depend on the degree of pelvic deformity, and this system is also useful to identify acetabular orientation and for precise component implantation in cases of pelvic deformity. © 2012 Elsevier Inc

Continuous Work Support Checklist for Female Healthcare Workers: Scale Development and Validation

Healthcare jobs are very popular among women, however in Japan, women readily quit working because of gender-role responsibilities. This study aimed to develop a workplace support checklist for women to continue to work. In 2017, we investigated 780 (female 74.8%) faculty members and healthcare professionals of one medical university in Japan. We asked them to score the extent to which they considered 35 items identified by a task team, to be related to continuous work support for female workers in healthcare. We carried out an exploratory factor analysis and extracted four domains with 16 items in all: Support for child rearing and home care (five items), Information dissemination (five items), Active promotion of women workers to higher positions (three items), and Consulting and counseling service (three items), with Cronbach\u27s alpha values ranging from 0.88 to 0.92. We found that the first three factors were generally associated with reasonably relevant characteristics of being female, in their 30s, married, and members of faculty. We also found that women with Intention to leave the workplace underscored the importance of Support for child rearing and home care and Consulting and counseling service. These results suggest that the checklist is reliable and valid

Evidence for a Common Founder and Clinical Characteristics of Japanese Families with the MAPT R406W Mutation

Background/Aim: Mutations in MAPT cause frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17). Patients with the MAPT R406W mutation were reported to show phenotypic heterogeneity in different ethnic backgrounds. We here report the clinical and genetic characteristics of Japanese families with the R406W mutation. Methods: We examined the clinical and neuroimaging features of 6 patients from three families with the R406W mutation. We determined the genotypes of intragenic MAPT single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the flanking microsatellite markers to search for a common founder. Results: The initial symptom was memory loss with the average age at onset being 54 years. Anterograde amnesia with episodic memory impairment was the predominant phenotype. Behavioral and personality changes or parkinsonism is not a prominent feature. A brain MRI study revealed marked atrophy of the medial temporal lobe. Genetic analysis of SNPs and microsatellite markers revealed that the affected members of the three families share common genotypes. Conclusion: The findings of the affected members in this study, which corroborate previously reported findings of European families, suggest that the R406W mutation may represent a phenotype of predominant anterograde amnesia in FTLD-17. Our genetic data suggest that a founder effect may account for some families with the R406W mutation

Hyperostosis around the bilateral acetabulum associated with hypoparathyroidism

We report the case of a 57-year-old woman with hyperostosis around the bilateral acetabulum associated with untreated secondary hypoparathyroidism. She presented with gait disturbance and inability to walk. Radiographs showed abnormal ossification around her hips. We resected the ossifications to improve joint function. One year after surgery, radiographs showed no recurrence of ossification. When radiographs show excessive hyperostosis, it is important to exclude presence of metabolic bone disease. © Japan College of Rheumatology 2012.This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: [Full cite], which has been published in final form at [link to final article]

Direction-sensitive dark matter search results in a surface laboratory

We developed a three-dimensional gaseous tracking device and performed a direction-sensitive dark matter search in a surface laboratory. By using 150 Torr carbon-tetrafluoride (CF_4 gas), we obtained a sky map drawn with the recoil directions of the carbon and fluorine nuclei, and set the first limit on the spin-dependent WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles)-proton cross section by a direction-sensitive method. Thus, we showed that a WIMP-search experiment with a gaseous tracking device can actually set limits. Furthermore, we demonstrated that this method will potentially play a certain role in revealing the nature of dark matter when a low-background large-volume detector is developed.Comment: 9 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.