Προσεγγίζοντας το σενάριο κινηματογράφου ως ενα περίπλοκο σύστημα αφήγησης: υποκείμενη μηχανική, διασυνδεόμενες δυναμικές και διαδικασία σχεδιασμού του αλγόριθμου πλοκής

While the first notions of dramatic writing were investigated by Aristotle, the advancement of theoretical screenwriting has been limited to the necessary transformations from silent cinema to the present day motion pictures, and the attempts of popularized “how-to” techniques to further investigate the field. These techniques were based on internalised rules-of-thumb drawn from purely inductive observations of existing screenplays, often modelled to fit the assumptions of the theories under investigation. Such analyses, however successful they may have been, failed to provide answers on two troubling fundamental questions: first, how or what makes stories emerge in the context of narrative, and second, what are the underlying dynamics that allow a screenplay to function as a unified whole? This research consolidates the notion that for the comprehension of such complex dynamics, often encountered in various forms of narrative, a more comprehensive theory of narrative is required. Further, it argues that a way of thinking similar to Popper's model for the advancement of knowledge, used in conjunction with Screenplectics, the herewith proposed semantic model for the understanding of such structural dynamics, would benefit the field. The contribution of Screenplectics lies in the centre of its initial foundation. First, by explaining how a screenplay functions synergistically, and appropriating the necessary metaphors, systemically. Second, by explaining the mechanism that is employed between compositional interactions in various structural levels that allows the coherent accumulative derivative we call story to emerge. The transition from an empirical to a theoretical perspective is achieved by examining the aforementioned dynamics under the prism of holism, and by introducing, again with the employment of metaphors, characteristics of complex systems: a network of components arranged hierarchically that interact parallel to one another in non-linear ways. This hierarchy shapes the foundation of the different layers of structure in a screenplay: deep, intermediate and surface structure.Ενώ οι πρώτες έννοιες της δραματουργίας διερευνήθηκαν από τον Αριστοτέλη βασιζόμενος πάνω στα έργα του Σοφοκλή στα ‘Ποιητικά’, η πρόοδος του θεωρητικού μέρους της σεναριογραφής κινηματογράφου περιορίστηκε στους βασικούς μετασχηματισμούς της τέχνης από το βουβό σινεμά στις σημερινές κινηματογραφικές ταινίες και στις προσπάθειες δημοφιλών τεχνικών τύπου ‘’πώς-να’’ (how-to) για περαιτέρω διερεύνηση του πεδίου. Αυτές οι τεχνικές βασίστηκαν σε εσωτερικευμένους εμπειρικούς κανόνες που αντλήθηκαν από καθαρά επαγωγικές παρατηρήσεις υπαρχόντων σεναρίων που γυρίστηκαν σε ταινίες, οι οποίοι διαμορφώθηκαν εκ του ασφαλούς για να ταιριάζουν στις υποθέσεις των υπό διερεύνηση αφηγηματικών θεωριών όπως η ‘γραμματική της αφήγησης’. Τέτοιες αναλύσεις, όσο επαρκείς ή επιτυχημένες κι αν ήταν, απέτυχαν να δώσουν απαντήσεις σε δύο σοβαρά ερωτήματα: πρώτον, πώς ή τι κάνει τις ιστορίες να αναδύονται από το σύνολο των θεμελιωδών κανόνων αφηγηματικής σύνταξης και γραφής στο πλαίσιο της αφήγησης και, δεύτερον, ποιες είναι οι υποκείμενες δυναμικές που επιτρέπουν σε ένα σενάριο να λειτουργήσει ως ενιαίο και περίπλοκο αφηγηματικό σύνολο (complex narrative system); Αυτή η διδακτορική διατριβή εδραιώνει την αντίληψη ότι για την κατανόηση μιας τέτοιας πολύπλοκης δυναμικής, που συναντάται σε διάφορες μορφές αφήγησης με δόμηση αρχής, μέσης και τέλους και με χαρακτήρες προσανατολισμένους στην επίτευξη ενός στόχου, απαιτείται μια πιο ολοκληρωμένη θεωρία της αφήγησης στα πλαίσια της γνωστικής αφηγηματολογίας (cognitive narratology), που είναι και το κατεξοχήν πεδίο της έρευνας αυτής. Η μετάβαση από την εμπειρική σε μια θεωρητική προοπτική επιτυγχάνεται με την εξέταση της προαναφερθείσας δυναμικής υπό το πρίσμα του ολισμού (holism) και εισάγοντας, πάλι με τη χρήση μεταφορών, χαρακτηριστικά σύνθετων συστημάτων: ένα δίκτυο αφηγηματικών συστατικών διατεταγμένων ιεραρχικά που αλληλοεπιδρούν παράλληλα μεταξύ τους, με μη γραμμικούς τρόπους. Αυτή η ιεραρχία διαμορφώνει τα θεμέλια των διαφορετικών στρωμάτων δομής σε ένα σενάριο: βαθιά, ενδιάμεση και επιφανειακή δομή.Επιπλέον, υποστηρίζει ότι ένας τρόπος σκέψης παρόμοιος με το μοντέλο του Karl Popper για την πρόοδο της γνώσης, που χρησιμοποιείται σε συνδυασμό με το σημασιολογικό μοντέλο που προτείνεται στην διατριβή αυτή για την κατανόηση τέτοιων δομικών δυναμικών, θα ωφελούσε περαιτέρω το πεδίο της γνωστικής αφηγηματολογίας. Η συμβολή της διατριβής αυτής βρίσκεται στο κέντρο της αρχικής της σύλληψης. Πρώτον, εξηγώντας πώς ένα κινηματογραφικό σενάριο λειτουργεί συνεργιστικά και, χρησιμοποιώντας τις απαραίτητες μεταφορές από τη θεωρία πολυπλοκότητας (complexity theory), συστημικά ως ένα περίπλοκο αφηγηματικό σύνολο, και, δεύτερον, εξηγώντας τον μηχανισμό που χρησιμοποιείται μεταξύ των αλληλεπιδράσεων σύνθεσης, σύνταξης, πλοκής και γραφής σε διάφορα δομικά επίπεδα που επιτρέπει την ανάδυση της συνεκτικής παραγώγου που ονομάζουμε ιστορία

Plasma levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and cardiovascular disease - Results from two independent population-based cohorts and a meta-analysis

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent chemicals that have been linked to increased cholesterol levels and thus may have a role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Objectives: To investigate associations between PFAS exposure and incident CVD (a combined CVD end-point consisting of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or heart failure) in two independent population-based cohorts in Sweden. In addition, we performed a meta-analysis also including results from previous studies. Methods: In 2,278 subjects aged 45-75 years from the EpiHealth study, the risk of incident CVD in relation to relative plasma levels of perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was investigated. Associations between plasma levels of six PFAS and incident CVD were also examined in the PIVUS-study (n = 1,016, all aged 70 years). In addition, a meta-analysis was performed including three previous prospective studies, together with the results from the present study. Results: There were no overall statistically significant associations between levels of the different PFAS and incident CVD, neither in EpiHealth nor in PIVUS. However, there was a significant sex interaction for PFOS in EpiHealth (p = 0.008), and an inverse association could be seen only in men (Men, HR: 0.68, 95 % CI: 0.52, 0.89) (Women, HR: 1.13, 95 % CI: 0.82, 1.55). A meta-analysis of five independent studies regarding PFOA and incident CVD showed a risk ratio (RR) of 0.80 (CI: 0.66, 0.94) when high levels were compared to low levels. Conclusions: This longitudinal study using data from two population-based cohort studies in Sweden did not indicate any increased risk of incident CVD for moderately elevated PFAS levels. A meta-analysis of five independent cohort studies rather indicated a modest inverse association between PFOA levels and incident CVD, further supporting that increasing PFAS levels are not linked to an increased risk of CVD

Spatio-temporal predictions of COVID-19 test positivity in Uppsala County, Sweden - a comparative approach

Previous spatio-temporal COVID-19 prediction models have focused on the prediction of subsequent number of cases, and have shown varying accuracy and lack of high geographical resolution. We aimed to predict trends in COVID-19 test positivity, an important marker for planning local testing capacity and accessibility. We included a full year of information (June 29, 2020-July 4, 2021) with both direct and indirect indicators of transmission, e.g. mobility data, number of calls to the national healthcare advice line and vaccination coverage from Uppsala County, Sweden, as potential predictors. We developed four models for a 1-week-window, based on gradient boosting (GB), random forest (RF), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and integrated nested laplace approximations (INLA). Three of the models (GB, RF and INLA) outperformed the naïve baseline model after data from a full pandemic wave became available and demonstrated moderate accuracy. An ensemble model of these three models slightly improved the average root mean square error to 0.039 compared to 0.040 for GB, RF and INLA, 0.055 for ARIMA and 0.046 for the naïve model. Our findings indicate that the collection of a wide variety of data can contribute to spatio-temporal predictions of COVID-19 test positivity

Metal (Ag/Ti)-Containing Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Nanocomposite Films with Enhanced Nanoscratch Resistance: Hybrid PECVD/PVD System and Microstructural Characteristics

This study aimed to develop hydrogenated amorphous carbon thin films with embedded metallic nanoparticles (a–C:H:Me) of controlled size and concentration. Towards this end, a novel hybrid deposition system is presented that uses a combination of Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technologies. The a–C:H matrix was deposited through the acceleration of carbon ions generated through a radio-frequency (RF) plasma source by cracking methane, whereas metallic nanoparticles were generated and deposited using terminated gas condensation (TGC) technology. The resulting material was a hydrogenated amorphous carbon film with controlled physical properties and evenly dispersed metallic nanoparticles (here Ag or Ti). The physical, chemical, morphological and mechanical characteristics of the films were investigated through X-ray reflectivity (XRR), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and nanoscratch testing. The resulting amorphous carbon metal nanocomposite films (a–C:H:Ag and a–C:H:Ti) exhibited enhanced nanoscratch resistance (up to +50%) and low values of friction coefficient (<0.05), properties desirable for protective coatings and/or solid lubricant applications. The ability to form nanocomposite structures with tunable coating performance by potentially controlling the carbon bonding, hydrogen content, and the type/size/percent of metallic nanoparticles opens new avenues for a broad range of applications in which mechanical, physical, biological and/or combinatorial properties are required

An online atlas of human plasma metabolite signatures of gut microbiome composition

Human gut microbiota produce a variety of molecules, some of which enter the bloodstream and impact health. Conversely, dietary or pharmacological compounds may affect the microbiota before entering the circulation. Characterization of these interactions is an important step towards understanding the effects of the gut microbiota on health. In this cross-sectional study, we used deep metagenomic sequencing and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography linked to mass spectrometry for a detailed characterization of the gut microbiota and plasma metabolome, respectively, of 8583 participants invited at age 50 to 64 from the population-based Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study. Here, we find that the gut microbiota explain up to 58% of the variance of individual plasma metabolites and we present 997 associations between alpha diversity and plasma metabolites and 546,819 associations between specific gut metagenomic species and plasma metabolites in an online atlas ( https://gutsyatlas.serve.scilifelab.se/ ). We exemplify the potential of this resource by presenting novel associations between dietary factors and oral medication with the gut microbiome, and microbial species strongly associated with the uremic toxin p-cresol sulfate. This resource can be used as the basis for targeted studies of perturbation of specific metabolites and for identification of candidate plasma biomarkers of gut microbiota composition

An online atlas of human plasma metabolite signatures of gut microbiome composition

Human gut microbiota produce a variety of molecules, some of which enter the bloodstream and impact health. Conversely, dietary or pharmacological compounds may affect the microbiota before entering the circulation. Characterization of these interactions is an important step towards understanding the effects of the gut microbiota on health. In this cross-sectional study, we used deep metagenomic sequencing and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography linked to mass spectrometry for a detailed characterization of the gut microbiota and plasma metabolome, respectively, of 8583 participants invited at age 50 to 64 from the population-based Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study. Here, we find that the gut microbiota explain up to 58% of the variance of individual plasma metabolites and we present 997 associations between alpha diversity and plasma metabolites and 546,819 associations between specific gut metagenomic species and plasma metabolites in an online atlas (https://gutsyatlas.serve.scilifelab.se/). We exemplify the potential of this resource by presenting novel associations between dietary factors and oral medication with the gut microbiome, and microbial species strongly associated with the uremic toxin p-cresol sulfate. This resource can be used as the basis for targeted studies of perturbation of specific metabolites and for identification of candidate plasma biomarkers of gut microbiota composition

Streptococcus Species Abundance in the Gut Is Linked to Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis in 8973 Participants From the SCAPIS Cohort

Background: Gut microbiota have been implicated in atherosclerotic disease, but their relation with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis is unclear. This study aimed to identify associations between the gut microbiome and computed tomography-based measures of coronary atherosclerosis and to explore relevant clinical correlates. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 8973 participants (50 to 65 years of age) without overt atherosclerotic disease from the population-based SCAPIS (Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study). Coronary atherosclerosis was measured using coronary artery calcium score and coronary computed tomography angiography. Gut microbiota species abundance and functional potential were assessed with shotgun metagenomics sequencing of stool, and associations with coronary atherosclerosis were evaluated with multivariable regression models adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors. Associated species were evaluated for association with inflammatory markers, metabolites, and corresponding species in saliva. Results: The mean age of the study sample was 57.4 years, and 53.7% were female. Coronary artery calcification was detected in 40.3%, and 5.4% had at least 1 stenosis with >50% occlusion. Sixty-four species were associated with coronary artery calcium score independent of cardiovascular risk factors, with the strongest associations observed for Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus oralis subsp oralis (P<1×10-5). Associations were largely similar across coronary computed tomography angiography-based measurements. Out of the 64 species, 19 species, including streptococci and other species commonly found in the oral cavity, were associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein plasma concentrations, and 16 with neutrophil counts. Gut microbial species that are commonly found in the oral cavity were negatively associated with plasma indole propionate and positively associated with plasma secondary bile acids and imidazole propionate. Five species, including 3 streptococci, correlated with the same species in saliva and were associated with worse dental health in the Malmö Offspring Dental Study. Microbial functional potential of dissimilatory nitrate reduction, anaerobic fatty acid β-oxidation, and amino acid degradation were associated with coronary artery calcium score. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of an association of a gut microbiota composition characterized by increased abundance of Streptococcus spp and other species commonly found in the oral cavity with coronary atherosclerosis and systemic inflammation markers. Further longitudinal and experimental studies are warranted to explore the potential implications of a bacterial component in atherogenesis

App-based COVID-19 syndromic surveillance and prediction of hospital admissions in COVID Symptom Study Sweden

The app-based COVID Symptom Study was launched in Sweden in April 2020 to contribute to real-time COVID-19 surveillance. We enrolled 143,531 study participants (≥18 years) who contributed 10.6 million daily symptom reports between April 29, 2020 and February 10, 2021. Here, we include data from 19,161 self-reported PCR tests to create a symptom-based model to estimate the individual probability of symptomatic COVID-19, with an AUC of 0.78 (95% CI 0.74–0.83) in an external dataset. These individual probabilities are employed to estimate daily regional COVID-19 prevalence, which are in turn used together with current hospital data to predict next week COVID-19 hospital admissions. We show that this hospital prediction model demonstrates a lower median absolute percentage error (MdAPE: 25.9%) across the five most populated regions in Sweden during the first pandemic wave than a model based on case notifications (MdAPE: 30.3%). During the second wave, the error rates are similar. When we apply the same model to an English dataset, not including local COVID-19 test data, we observe MdAPEs of 22.3% and 19.0% during the first and second pandemic waves, respectively, highlighting the transferability of the prediction model