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Background and Purpose: Antipsychotics such as olanzapine are associated with significant metabolic dysfunction, attributed to gut microbiome dysbiosis. A recent notion that most psychotropics are detrimental to the gut microbiome has arisen from consistent findings of metabolic adverse effects. However, unlike olanzapine, the metabolic effects of lurasidone are conflicting. Thus, this study investigates the contrasting effects of olanzapine and lurasidone on the gut microbiome to explore the hypothesis of 'gut neutrality' for lurasidone exposure. Experimental Approach: Using Sprague–Dawley rats, the effects of olanzapine and lurasidone on the gut microbiome were explored. Faecal and blood samples were collected weekly over a 21‐day period to analyse changes to the gut microbiome and related metabolic markers. Key Results: Lurasidone triggered no significant weight gain or metabolic alterations, instead positively modulating the gut microbiome through increases in mean operational taxonomical units (OTUs) and alpha diversity. This novel finding suggests an underlying mechanism for lurasidone's metabolic inertia. In contrast, olanzapine triggered a statistically significant decrease in mean OTUs, substantial compositional variation and a depletion in short‐chain fatty acid abundance. Microbiome depletion correlated with metabolic dysfunction, producing a 30% increase in weight gain, increased pro‐inflammatory cytokine expression, and increased blood glycaemic and triglyceride levels. Conclusion and Implications: Our results challenge the notion that all antipsychotics disrupt the gut microbiome similarly and highlights the potential benefits of gut‐neutral antipsychotics, such as lurasidone, in managing metabolic side effects. Further research is warranted to validate these findings in humans to guide personalised pharmacological treatment regimens for schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of high and low water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) to crude protein (CP) ratios on nitrogen balance in lambs was evaluated. Ryegrasses containing either 35.4% WSC and 12% CP (High WSC) or 14.8% WSC and 23.8% CP (High N) were harvested, frozen and fed to lambs in metabolism crates. These contrasts in WSC and CP delivered diets with markedly different WSC:CP ratios (3.17:1 and 0.70:1). These ratios were higher than those reported in ryegrass previously. There was no difference in urinary nitrogen concentration (0.46 vs 0.48 g/l) but as the total urinary volume was higher on the High N diet (4.2 vs 1.5 l/d, P < 0.001), the end result was that more N was excreted in the urine on the high N diet (18.8 vs 7.3 g/d, P < 0.001). However, the proportion of nitrogen intake that was excreted in urine and faeces was higher on the High WSC diet so there was no evidence that a high WSC forage diet improved nitrogen utilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plants strictly control root endosymbioses with nutrient-scavenging arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi or nodule inducing diazotrophic bacteria. The GRAS-type transcriptional regulator NODULATION SIGNALING PATHWAY 2 (NSP2) is a conserved hub in this process. The NSP2 -regulated transcriptional network is instrumental in balancing nutrient homeostasis with symbiotic interactions. NSP2 activity is modulated post-transcriptionally by a specific microRNA. Overriding this control mechanism by ectopic expression of a miRNA-resistant NSP2 transgene enhances the symbiotic permissiveness to arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi. Such engineered plants may possess enhanced capacities for nutrient uptake. However, the trade-off of this strategy on plant development or other symbiotic interactions, like nodulation, is yet to be fully understood. Method: We used the nodulating Cannabaceae species Parasponia andersonii as an experimental system to study the effect of ectopic NSP2 expression. Parasponia and legumes (Fabaceae) diverged 100 million years ago, providing a unique comparative system to dissect the nodulation trait. Results: Six independent transgenic Parasponia lines were generated that differed in the level of NSP2 expression in the root from 6 to 95-fold higher when compared to the empty vector control plants. Analysis of these plants revealed a positive correlation between mycorrhization and the NSP2 expression level, as well as with the expression of the symbiosis transcription factor CYCLOPS and the rate-limiting enzyme in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway PHYTOENE SYNTHASE1 (PSY1). Yet ectopic expression of NSP2 affected plant architecture and root nodule organogenesis. Discussion: This indicates a significant trade-off when leveraging NSP2 over-expression to enhance endomycorrhization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to its remarkable anti-inflammatory pharmacological activity, Farfarae Flos has gained extensive usage in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, prostatitis and colitis. And Farfarae Flos come in two color types depending on the color of the flowers: yellowish-white (YW), and purplish-red (PR). However, the difference in anti-inflammatory activity and metabolic profiles between the two flower colors remains unexplored. Methods: This study aims to explore the difference in the anti-inflammatory potential between YW and PR variants of Farfarae Flos and unravel the mechanisms responsible for the observed differences in anti-inflammatory activity through an integrated approach encompassing untargeted metabolomics and in vivo / vitro experimental studies. Initially, we verified the contrasting effects of YW and PR on the inhibition of the inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nitric oxide (NO) by utilizing an in vitro RAW 264.7 cell inflammation model. Subsequently, a comprehensive evaluation of the systemic inhibitory capacity of YW and PR on IL-6, Interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α) was conducted using a validated whole-body mouse model, followed by the analysis of inflammatory factors and histological examination of collected serum, liver, and spleen after 7 days. Furthermore, non-targeted metabolomics profiling was employed to analyze the metabolite profiles of Farfarae Flos with different colors, and quantitative analysis was conducted to identify differential metabolites between YW and PR. The correlation between the anti-inflammatory activities of differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and Farfarae Flos was investigated, resulting in the identification of 48 compounds exhibiting significant anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Results: Our findings demonstrate that both YW and PR possess anti-inflammatory abilities, with PR exhibiting significantly superior efficacy. The integration of in vivo / vitro experiments and non-targeted metabolomics confirmed the exceptional anti-inflammatory potential of PR and solidified its classification as the "purplish-red better" of Farfarae Flos. Discussion: This study provides valuable insights into the breeding and medical transformation of Farfarae Flos varieties, along with a scientific basis for the establishment of quality standards and the development of new drugs utilizing Farfarae Flos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy from municipal sewage sludge can be obtained by applying a thermal conversion method. In this study, the combustion kinetics of municipal sewage sludge were analyzed in an O2/CO2 atmosphere. Studies were conducted in different gaseous atmospheres consisting of varying proportions of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The participation of oxygen was as follows: 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% vol. The experimental temperatures varied from 873 to 1273 K. The experimentally obtained results helped establish the basic kinetic parameters, such as the reaction order n, factor Ko and activation energy Ea of sludge grains. The values of the activation energy Ea and Ko were, respectively, 46 kJ/mol and 0.0127 mg/m2sPa. They show that the limiting factor of combustion is the diffusion of oxygen and that combustion reactions take place in the outer layer of the unreacted core. Therefore, sludge is promising for energy recovery because it has quite a high net calorific value (NCV) and a high gross calorific value (GCV). The GCV was 14.1 MJ/kg and the NCV was 12.8 MJ/kg. The experimental studies with a wide range of process parameters helped to create an array of apparent reaction rates as a function of the temperature and oxygen concentration, showing the significant effect of oxygen on the apparent reaction rate, in contrast to the effect of temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pro-environmental media content, such as nature documentary programming, often features awe-inducing scenes of Earth's natural beauty, and exposure to this kind of content has been shown to increase persuasive outcomes. Yet environmental messaging is increasingly likely to portray the tragic impacts of human activities on these natural wonders alongside content about Earth's beauty. How might emotional responses evolve during exposure to sequenced messages that juxtapose positively-valenced (beauty) and negatively-valenced (negative impacts) pro-environmental content? Embracing an emotional flow perspective as our overarching lens, we put forth two accounts for how emotions might shift during sequenced messaging: contrast effects and the elicitation of poignancy. We tested these accounts in a between-subjects experiment with U.S. adults (N = 979), following a 5 (focus: beauty-only, impacts-only, beauty→impacts, impacts→beauty, or control) × 2 (topic: coral reefs or forests) design. We found no evidence for contrast effects in discrete emotion intensity (awe, hope, sadness, or fear). The sequenced messages evoked greater poignancy than the static messages, which in turn predicted greater intentions to share the message. Although the sequenced messages indirectly predicted sharing intentions and policy support via several other emotion-based mechanisms, these outcomes did not differ between the static and sequenced conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-destructive testing of cooling passages has attracted a considerable interest due to the critical rule of these segments in the performance and endurance of different parts. In this research, the performance of active infrared thermography in the non-destructive inspection of cooling passages located inside the metallic bases has been investigated. Water vapour was selected as an excitation fluid so as to create the thermal contrast. Specimen material, hole depth, hole diameter and injection pressure were selected as the input parameters effecting on the thermal contrast. The results obtained via statistical analysis revealed that the hole depth and injection pressure have the noticeable influence on the dimensionless output temperature recorded with thermal camera. A 50% decrease in dimensionless temperature contrast has been revealed when the hole depth has become four times. Besides, a similar increase in injection pressure, elevated the above-mentioned parameter almost 20%. In contrast, the parameters of specimen material and hole diameter specified no perceptible effects. Moreover, infrared thermography with water-vapour excitation proved proper capability in detection of 60% and 80% blockage located inside the holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the heterogeneous effects of monetary policy on consumer prices in the United Kingdom. We estimate a proxy Structural Vector Autoregressive (SVAR) model, using extended high‐frequency monetary surprises from Cesa‐Bianchi et al. (European Economic Review, 123, 2020, 103375) to instrument shifts in UK monetary policy. We then analyze the impulse responses for various components of the UK Consumer Price Index. Our findings reveal that while monetary policy tightening leads to a persistent decline in aggregate consumer prices, the impact on disaggregated components is highly heterogeneous. Notably, we observe that energy price changes offset movements in food, beverage, and tobacco prices, resulting in identical responses of core and headline consumer CPIH inflation measures. The contrasting effects across different CPI components highlight the importance of examining disaggregated data when assessing the transmission of monetary policy to consumer prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of contrast heat and cold pressure therapy (CHCP) on muscle tone, elasticity, stiffness, perfusion unit, and muscle fatigue indices after plyometric training consisting of five sets of jumping on a 50-cm high box until exhaustion. A prospective, randomized, controlled single-blind study design was used. Twenty professional MMA fighters were included in the study. The experimental group (n = 10) was subjected to the CHCP protocol (eGR), while the control group (cGR) (n = 10) was subjected to sham therapy. Both protocols consisted of three CHCP sessions performed immediately after plyometric exercise, 24 and 48 h afterwards. Measurements were taken at the following time points: 1) at rest; 2) 1 min post-exercise; 3) 1 min post-CHCP therapy; 4) 24 h post-CHCP therapy; 5) 48 h post-CHCP therapy. The results of the eGR compared to the cGR showed significantly higher perfusion at time point 5 (p < 0.001), higher muscle tone at time points 1, and 3-5 (p < 0.001 for all), higher stiffness at time points 1, 3-5 (p < 0.001 for all) and a higher pain threshold at time points 1 and 5 (p < 0.001 for all). This study suggests a positive effect of CHCP therapy on muscle biomechanics, the pain threshold, and tissue perfusion, which may contribute to increasing the effectiveness of post-exercise muscle recovery in MMA athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been recognized as pivotal regulators in tumorigenesis, yet the biological functions as well as molecular mechanisms of the majority of circRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive. We sought to unveil the expression profile and biological role of circMYBL2 in HCC. Initial microarray analyses were conducted to probe the expression profile of circMYBL2 in HCC cells, and qRTPCR analysis was then performed in HCC cell lines and tissues, revealing significant upregulation of circMYBL2. Subsequent experiments were conducted to evaluate the biological function of circMYBL2 in HCC progression. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis, qRT-PCR analysis, luciferase reporter assays, and western blot analysis were employed to investigate the interplay among circMYBL2, miR-1205, and E2F1. CircMYBL2 was found to exhibit marked upregulation in tumor tissues as well as HCC cell lines. Elevated expression of circMYBL2 increased the proliferation and migration of HCC cells, whereas circMYBL2 knockdown elicited contrasting effects. Mechanistically, our results indicated that circMYBL2 promoted E2F1 expression and facilitated HCC progression by sponging miR-1205. Our findings revealed that circMYBL2 contributed to HCC progression through the circMYBL2/miR-1205/E2F1 axis, suggesting the potential of circMYBL2 as a novel target for HCC treatment or a prognostic biomarker for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers across the globe have been investigating underwater photographs and a way to capture pictures with outstanding clarity for the past couple of decades. Also, improving the obtained photographs is an exhausting task. Usually, applied underwater image-capturing devices are unable to acquire high-resolution photos underwater, and their maintenance is extremely costly. The underwater images include multiple flaws because of biological processes like attenuation and scattering. These photographs experience color distortion, blurriness, and low contrast effects. Technologies that utilize deep learning have become more popular among several research studies and have gradually grown in impact on society. Several techniques demand sets of training photos, but gathering such expected sets can be challenging because of the complex nature of the underwater environment. Generating and restoring an image from water is a difficult task that has gained prominence in recent days. By lowering graininess, adjusting, and refining the photos using deep learning models, the major goal is to enhance underwater images. To accomplish this objective, an intelligent attention-based deep learning model is proposed. In the first stage, the unrefined images are gathered from typical data sources. Further, the collected underwater images are fed into the model of Attentive-based Trans-UNet-CycleGAN (ATUNet-CGAN), where the Transformer-based UNet model is integrated with the Cycle Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Also, the attention mechanism process is involved in Trans-UNet-CycleGAN for improving the superiority of submarine images. Finally, the performance of the model is validated using different metrics and correlated among baseline approaches. Therefore, the proposed methodology outperforms the exploitation of better enhancement of image quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Interpretation To investigate the effects of directional subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN‐dDBS) on gait and balance disorders, including freezing of gait (FOG), in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD).We included 10 participants who underwent STN‐DBS and presented severe preoperative FOG, in a randomized, double‐blind, crossover study. We used segmented DBS electrodes to investigate whether directing the predicted volume of tissue activated (VTA) to overlap the central STN preferentially improved gait and balance disorders compared to directional DBS applied in the more posterior STN (sensorimotor). We also assessed non‐directional (ring‐mode) STN‐DBS. Our primary outcome was gait and balance control measured using instrumented gait recordings. Each patient had a pre‐operative structural and diffusion‐weighted imaging to model individual VTAs and to examine cortico‐subthalamic connectivity. We used linear mixed‐effects models to contrast the effects of central STN‐dDBS, posterior STN‐dDBS, and ring‐mode STN‐DBS.Central STN‐dDBS produced significantly better improvement in gait and balance control compared to posterior STN‐dDBS (p = 0.027), with fewer FOG episodes (p < 0.001). Conversely, ring‐mode STN‐DBS resulted in worsened postural control compared to central STN‐dDBS (p = 0.009). The cortico‐subthalamic connectivity with the STN VTAs involved mostly primary sensorimotor, premotor, and medial frontal cortices, with a higher overall cortico‐STN connectivity with ring‐mode STN‐DBS.Central STN‐dDBS represents the best option to improve gait and balance disorders in PD patients, including FOG. Our findings raise the possibility of reprogramming STN‐DBS toward the central area in selected patients with disabling FOG and/or postural instability after surgery. ANN NEUROL 2024 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Reading is a fundamental cognitive activity that is influenced by both textual and external environmental factors, although the latter has been less thoroughly explored. This study aims to examine the impact of environmental visual conditions on reading performance using Virtual Reality (VR) technology. Methods: We conducted two experiments to assess the effects of visual contrast and simulated weather conditions on reading dynamics. In Experiment 1, we measured single-word recognition speed using a lexical decision task under different visual contrasts and weather conditions. In Experiment 2, we assessed reading dynamics during a sentence reading task, analyzing how visual contrast and simulated sunny versus rainy weather conditions affected reading behavior, particularly focusing on reading speed and eye fixations. Results: In Experiment 1, high visual contrast, particularly under sunny conditions, significantly enhanced single-word recognition speed, indicating a notable influence of environmental visual conditions. In Experiment 2, visual contrast had minimal effect on sentence reading; however, sunny weather facilitated faster reading times, while rainy scenarios increased the number of eye fixations. Discussion: These findings suggest that environmental factors, such as weather conditions, can significantly affect reading behavior. The study contributes to the understanding of key environmental influences on reading in everyday life contexts and has implications for the ergonomic design of reading materials, especially for outdoor settings and VR environments. Additionally, the integration of controlled stimuli within VR increases the ecological validity of reading research, underscoring the potential of VR as a powerful tool for cognitive research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern scanning electron imaging (SEM) has become an essential tool in various fields. In order to obtain high‐quality images with minimal vibration and drift, the multi‐frame stacking technique is commonly used. However, one aspect that has been overlooked in this process is the electron beam‐induced temperature effect. This study aims to explore the impact of the temperature effect on SEM contrast for a single spherical nanoparticle, specifically a gold nanosphere on a carbon substrate. Through Monte‐Carlo simulation, we investigated how the number of frames in multi‐frame stacking mode affects two types of electron signals: secondary electrons (SE) and backscattering electrons (BSE). Our findings revealed that the SEM contrast is indeed sensitive to the number of frames used in the stacking process. It is observed that the SE contrast decreases while the BSE contrast increases compared to cases without considering temperature effects. It is also found that when using the large primary electron beam energy, the impact of temperature effect was less significant. The electron‐solid interaction theory was utilized to systematically explain the underlying mechanism. This study not only sheds light on how temperature effects can influence SEM imaging but also provides valuable insights for optimizing image acquisition techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common belief underlying the dimensional comparison theory is that reading self‐concept has a positive relation to reading achievement but a negative relation to math achievement. However, this belief is incomplete and potentially misleading as supporting evidence is usually derived from studies without simultaneously considering the mediated effect of reading self‐concept through reading achievement. The current study examined the direct and indirect effects of reading self‐concept on math achievement through reading achievement, using PISA 2018 data from 501,766 students across 74 countries/territories. Multilevel structural equation modeling was performed to control for confounding variances from the school level and above. The results showed that reading self‐concept had a direct and negative effect on math achievement, while also exerting a positive indirect effect on math achievement through reading achievement. Overall, the indirect effect outperformed the negative direct effect on math achievement. We concluded that reading self‐concept exerted a double‐edged effect on math achievement. These results should be able to shed new light on the contrasting comparison effect of self‐concept on academic achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Making adaptive decisions requires predicting outcomes, and this in turn requires adapting to uncertain environments. This study explores computational challenges in distinguishing two types of noise influencing predictions: volatility and stochasticity. Volatility refers to diffusion noise in latent causes, requiring a higher learning rate, while stochasticity introduces moment-to-moment observation noise and reduces learning rate. Dissociating these effects is challenging as both increase the variance of observations. Previous research examined these factors mostly separately, but it remains unclear whether and how humans dissociate them when they are played off against one another. In two large-scale experiments, through a behavioral prediction task and computational modeling, we report evidence of humans dissociating volatility and stochasticity solely based on their observations. We observed contrasting effects of volatility and stochasticity on learning rates, consistent with statistical principles. These results are consistent with a computational model that estimates volatility and stochasticity by balancing their dueling effects. Adaptive learning is difficult in noisy environments, yet people often succeed. Here, the authors show that humans do this by distinguishing between two easily confused types of noise—volatility and stochasticity—which require opposite adjustments to learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several reports, including our previous studies, indicate that hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus exert differential effects on vascular function in males and females. This study examines sex differences in the vascular effects of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in an established monogenic model of obesity-induced T2D, Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats. Acetylcholine (ACh) responses were assessed in phenylephrine pre-contracted rings before and after apocynin, a NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitor. The mRNA expressions of aortic endothelial NOS (eNOS), and key NOX isoforms were also measured. We demonstrated the following: (1) diabetes had contrasting effects on aortic vasorelaxation in ZDF rats, impairing relaxation to ACh in females while enhancing it in male ZDF rats; (2) inhibition of NOX, a major source of superoxide in vasculature, restored aortic vasorelaxation in female ZDF rats; and (3) eNOS and NOX4 mRNA expressions were elevated in female (but not male) ZDF rat aortas compared to their respective leans. This study highlights sexual dimorphism in ACh-mediated vasorelaxation in the aorta of ZDF rats, suggesting that superoxide may play a role in the impaired vasorelaxation observed in female ZDF rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to its remarkable anti-inflammatory pharmacological activity, Farfarae Flos has gained extensive usage in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, prostatitis and colitis. And Farfarae Flos come in two color types depending on the color of the flowers: yellowish-white (YW), and purplish-red (PR). However, the difference in anti-inflammatory activity and metabolic profiles between the two flower colors remains unexplored. Methods: This study aims to explore the difference in the anti-inflammatory potential between YW and PR variants of Farfarae Flos and unravel the mechanisms responsible for the observed differences in anti-inflammatory activity through an integrated approach encompassing untargeted metabolomics and in vivo/vitro experimental studies. Initially, we verified the contrasting effects of YW and PR on the inhibition of the inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nitric oxide (NO) by utilizing an in vitro RAW 264.7 cell inflammation model. Subsequently, a comprehensive evaluation of the systemic inhibitory capacity of YW and PR on IL-6, Interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) was conducted using a validated whole-body mouse model, followed by the analysis of inflammatory factors and histological examination of collected serum, liver, and spleen after 7 days. Furthermore, non-targeted metabolomics profiling was employed to analyze the metabolite profiles of Farfarae Flos with different colors, and quantitative analysis was conducted to identify differential metabolites between YW and PR. The correlation between the anti-inflammatory activities of differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and Farfarae Flos was investigated, resulting in the identification of 48 compounds exhibiting significant anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Results: Our findings demonstrate that both YW and PR possess antiinflammatory abilities, with PR exhibiting significantly superior efficacy. The integration of in vivo/vitro experiments and non-targeted metabolomics confirmed the exceptional anti-inflammatory potential of PR and solidified its classification as the "purplish-red better" of Farfarae Flos. Discussion: This study provides valuable insights into the breeding and medical transformation of Farfarae Flos varieties, along with a scientific basis for the establishment of quality standards and the development of new drugs utilizing Farfarae Flos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the performance of two tasks overlaps in time, performance impairments in one or both tasks are common. Various theoretical explanations for how component tasks are controlled in dual-task situations have been advanced. However, less attention has been paid to the issue of how two temporally overlapping tasks are appropriately coordinated in terms of their order. The current study focuses on two specific aspects of this task-order coordination: (1) the potential effects of practice on task-order coordination performance and (2) its relationships with cognitive meta-control mechanisms that adjust this coordination. These aspects were investigated in a visual-auditory dual-task combination with randomly changing task orders across trials after four sessions of dual-task practice (N = 24) and single-task practice (N = 24). The results demonstrated that task-order coordination improves during dual-task practice, and in contrast to the effects of single-task practice. Practice, on the other hand, did not show substantial evidence of an effect on the adjustment of task-order coordination. This practice-related dissociation is consistent with the assumption that (1) task-order coordination and (2) its sequential adjustment are separable sets of processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disease-resistant plants activate immune responses by specifically recognition Candidate Secreted Effector Proteins (CSEPs) through resistance (R) proteins. In research on cucumber powdery mildew resistance breeding, several R genes and CSEPs have been identified; however, the specific interactions between R proteins and CSEPs are still largely unexplored. In this study, we used a luciferase reporter assay to identify six CSEPs from Podosphaera xanthii that potentially induce cell death in cucumber. Subsequent yeast two-hybrid analysis revealed that only the mature form of CSEP30 (CSEP30∆SP) interacted with the cucumber mutant STAY-GREEN (Cssgr), a gene previously recognized for its broad-spectrum resistance in genetic studies. This interaction was confirmed using pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays. Additionally, to determine if the interaction leads to phenotypic changes, Cssgr and CSEP30∆SP were transiently expressed in tobacco leaves. The infiltration of Cssgr in tobacco resulted in reduced chlorosis compared to the wild-type CsSGR. Co-infiltration of Cssgr with CSEP30∆SP induced distinct dry necrotic lesions, contrasting the effects observed when Cssgr and CSEP30∆SP were infiltrated separately. Additionally, after P. xanthii infection in moderately powdery mildew-resistant Gy14 cucumber, similar necrotic lesions and specific expression of Cssgr, as along with defense response-related genes (CsPR1 and CsLecRK6.1), were observed. This study suggests that the interaction between Cssgr and CSEP30∆SP could trigger cell death and defense response, offering new insights into the molecular function of Cssgr in disease resistance in Gy14 cucumber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop an insect-scale aerial/aquatic robot, we analyzed takeoff mechanisms to counteract surface tension, such as paddling, slapping, and clap-and-fling. Because a diving beetle, Eretes griseus, takes off directly from the water surface, a flapping-wing robot is promising as an alternative to a drone with multiple rotary wings. In this study, we first investigated diving beetle flight with a three-dimensional high-speed camera system and analyzed the motion characteristics. Subsequently, we developed a computational fluid dynamics method that tracked the water surface using a volume of fluid method, reproduced the motion with a multibody model, treated the deformation of the elastic membrane wing with the phase delay of the joint angle functions, and simulated takeoff, that is, the transition from water to air, and hovering near the water surface. The simulation result showed that during the transition, the slapping motion exerted the maximum and average lift per unit of body weight of 18 and 9.2, respectively, while those of paddling produced 0.46 and 0.23, respectively. The water surface effect improved the lift by 25% at the normalized height of less than 0.44 and disappeared at a height greater than 0.7. During hovering, while the clap-and-fling motion improved lift by 2.6% and the water surface effect was 9.8%, the synergy effect was 22%. In addition, the former enhanced it significantly after the fling, while the latter was remarkable during the wing acceleration phase. In contrast to ground effects, flapping reduced the water level and caused the ripples, dynamically changing the water surface effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollinators are fundamental for plant reproduction in natural and agricultural ecosystems. However, their populations are declining worldwide, threatening the functioning of the ecosystem service they provide. The factors driving this change are manifold, but land use changes and interspecific transmission of pathogens between managed and wild bees are prominent. In this context, most research efforts have focused on specific taxa and rarely at the community level, limiting our ability to fully understand the effects of global change on the functioning of plant–pollinator interactions in ecosystems. Here, we investigate the impact of human activities (beekeeping and land use intensity) on the spread of an emergent pathogen Vairimorpha ceranae in Mediterranean wild bee communities inhabiting landscapes with varying levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Plant–pollinator interactions were sampled in nine one‐hectare plots along a gradient of land use (urban structures, croplands and natural vegetation) and beekeeping intensity. We analysed the impact of human disturbances on pollination networks and pathogen prevalence, and applied a network approach to examine whether total effects of species in networks (i.e. direct plus indirect interactions) explain pathogen spread through bee communities. We found that V. ceranae prevalence in honey bees is not a good predictor of the pathogen spread through bee communities. There seems to be a temporal mismatch between pathogen dynamics in managed and wild bees. Networks with more diversity of interactions and more plants showed less pathogen prevalence, but total effect analyses (i.e. combining direct and indirect interactions) failed to explain pathogen transmission across pollination networks. Croplands increased wild bee density, and interactions and species diversity in networks, while shrublands had the opposite effect. Our results highlight the importance of studying pathogen dynamics at the community level and analysing species interaction patterns to improve our understanding of pathogen spread through communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates biopsychosocial factors as mediators of the effect of chiropractic care on low back pain (LBP) intensity and interference for active-duty military members. Data from a multi-site, pragmatic clinical trial comparing six weeks of chiropractic care plus usual medical care to usual medical care alone for 750 US active-duty military members with LBP were analyzed using natural-effect, multiple-mediator modeling. Mediation of the adjusted mean effect difference on 12-week outcomes of PROMIS-29 pain interference and intensity by 6-week mediators of other PROMIS-29 physical, mental, and social health subdomains was evaluated. The effect difference on pain interference occurring through PROMIS-29 biopsychosocial factors (natural indirect effect = -1.59, 95% CI = -2.28 to -0.88) was 56% (95% CI = 35 to 96) of the total effect (-2.82, 95% CI = -3.98 to -1.53). The difference in effect on pain intensity occurring through biopsychosocial factors was smaller (natural indirect effect = -0.32, 95% CI = -0.50 to -0.18), equaling 26% (95% CI = 15 to 42) of the total effect (-1.23, 95% CI = -1.52 to -0.88). When considered individually, all physical, mental, and social health factors appeared to mediate the effect difference on pain interference and pain intensity with mental health factors having smaller effect estimates. In contrast with effects on pain interference, much of the effect of adding chiropractic care to usual medical care for US military members on pain intensity did not appear to occur through the PROMIS-29 biopsychosocial factors. Physical and social factors appear to be important intermediate measures for patients receiving chiropractic care for low back pain in military settings. Further study is needed to determine if the effect of chiropractic care on pain intensity for active-duty military occurs through other unmeasured factors, such as patient beliefs, or if the effect occurs directly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is widely used for evaluating the fallopian tubes; however, controversies regarding the use of water- or oil-based iodine-based contrast media (CM) remain. The aim of this work was (1) to discuss reported pregnancy rates related to the CM type used, (2) to validate the used CM in published literature, (3) to discuss possible complications and side effects of CM in HSG, and (4) to develop guidelines on the use of oil-based CM in HSG. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted for original RCT studies or review/meta-analyses on using water-based and oil-based CM in HSG with fertility outcomes and complications. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 10 reviews/meta-analyses were analyzed. Grading of the literature was performed based on the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (OCEBM) 2011 classification. Results: An approximately 10% higher pregnancy rate is reported for oil-based CM. Side effects are rare, but oil-based CM have potentially more side effects on the maternal thyroid function and the peritoneum. Conclusions: 1. HSG with oil-based CM gives approximately 10% higher pregnancy rates. 2. External validity is limited, as in five of nine RCTs, the CM used is no longer on the market. 3. Oil-based CM have potentially more side effects on the maternal thyroid function and on the peritoneum. 4. Guideline: Maternal thyroid function should be tested before HSG with oil-based CM and monitored for 6 months after. Clinical relevance statement: Oil-based CM is associated with an approximately 10% higher chance of pregnancy compared to water-based CM after HSG. Although side effects are rare, higher iodine concentration and slower clearance of oil-based CM may induce maternal thyroid function disturbance and peritoneal inflammation and granuloma formation. Key Points: • It is unknown which type of contrast medium, oil-based or water-based, is the optimal for HSG. • Oil-based contrast media give a 10% higher chance of pregnancy after HSG, compared to water-based contrast media. • From the safety perspective, oil-based CM can cause thyroid dysfunction and an intra-abdominal inflammatory response in the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Glioblastoma multiforme is a highly aggressive form of brain cancer, and early diagnosis plays a pivotal role in improving patient survival rates. In this regard, molecular magnetic resonance imaging has emerged as a promising imaging modality due to its exceptional sensitivity to minute tissue changes and the ability to penetrate deep into the brain. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a novel contrast agent in detecting gliomas during MRI scans. Materials and methods: The contrast agent utilized modified chitosan coating on manganese oxide nanoparticles. The modification included adding methotrexate and 5-aminolevulinic acid (MnO2/CS@5-ALA-MTX) to target cells with overexpressed folate receptors and breaking down excess hydrogen peroxide in tumor tissue, resulting in enhanced signal intensity in T1-weighted MR images but diminished signal intensity in T2*-weighted MR images. Results: The nanosystem was characterized and evaluated in MR imaging, safety, and ability to target cells both in vivo and in vitro. MTX-free nanoparticles (MnO2/CS@5-ALA NPs) had no obvious cytotoxicity on cell lines U87MG and NIH3T3 after 24/48 h at a concentration of up to 160 µgr/mL (cell viability more than 80%). In this system, methotrexate enables tumor targeting and the MnO2/5-ALA improves T1–T2*-weighted MRI. In addition, MRI scans of mice with M109 carcinoma indicated significant tumor uptake and NP capacity to improve the positive contrast effect. Conclusion: This developed MnO2/CS@5-ALA-MTX nanoparticle system may exhibit great potential in the accurate diagnosis of folate receptor over-expressing cancers such as glioblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the interplay between sibling sex composition, son preference, and child education outcomes in China, leveraging the natural experiment of the country's One-Child Policy. Using China 1990 census, we find that the presence of a brother in the second birth exerts contrasting effects on firstborn girls' education. Son-biased family resource allocation diminishes their educational attainment, while parental decisions to curtail family size after the son's birth lead to increased educational opportunities for firstborn girls. These opposing mechanisms counteract each other, resulting in a near-zero net effect on their education. In contrast, sibling sex composition has no discernible impact on firstborn boys' education in either way. Our findings underscore the intricate interplay of sibling composition, policy and culture in shaping educational outcomes in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study builds an evolutionary game model based on a social network composed of two sub‐networks with different typologies, which respectively depict the connections of enterprises and consumers. Enterprises engage in evolutionary games to determine whether to invest in low‐carbon technology (LCT) research and development (R&D), while consumers select products based on the contrast effect. Our results show that carbon taxation and subsidies can increase the diffusion of LCT R&D, but their marginal effectiveness decreases. Lowering the loan interest rate of enterprises with better green credit can promote LCT R&D diffusion, while excessively lowering the threshold will inhibit that. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shear thinning hydrogels are emerging as a potential candidate of embolic agents for minimally invasive transcatheter arterial embolization because of their advantages over the commonly used conventional solid and liquid embolic agents. The transformation from solid to liquid and vice versa on the application and removal of shear force enables the shear thinning hydrogels to successfully occlude vasculatures of any diameters and thus can be used for the treatment of diseased or injured vasculature, including vascular malformation and malignant or benign tumors. Imageability of the embolic gel is of paramount importance as for successful occlusion of vasculatures requires real-time monitoring of the deployment of the embolic agents. Here, we studied the effect of different contrast agents, including iohexol, OmnipaqueTM and tantalum microparticles, on the radiopacity on an established chitosan-nanoclay hydrogel system. The flow behavior and recoverability of the developed gels are not compromised by the addition of radiopaque contrast agents. The injection force of the gels through a clinically relevant catheter was measured to evaluate the practicality of hand injection. The gels exhibited exceptional contrast under x-ray imaging modality. In addition, the radiopaque gels demonstrated excellent hemocompatibility and cell biocompatibility, highlighting their potential for transcatheter arterial embolization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the work was to compare the water retention and moisture sorption of viscose (CV) and cotton (Co) fibers carboxymethylated from aqueous media, in presence of NaOH, with sodium monochloroacetate. It was shown previously that under the same treatment conditions, the degree of carboxymethylation was higher in CV and so was the depth within fiber structures to which the carboxymethylation reactions occurred. It was also shown previously, that in terms of their capacity for sorption of a cationic dye (methylene blue), the Co performed better than CV. In this work, the same fibers were tested for their water retention and moisture sorption propensities. The two were sensitive both to the degree of carboxymethylation and the inherent properties of fibers (accessibility, degree of swelling, hornification). But the moisture sorption levels were less sensitive to the degree of carboxymethylation and more to inherent fiber properties whereas the reverse was observed for water retention. In contrast to the prior observations with dye sorption, CV performed better than Co in both moisture sorption and water retention. The poor performance of CV in dye sorption was attributed to the greater depth of carboxymethylation within the fibers that hindered dye permeation, but the same feature was observed to result in better performance (water retention) or not to hinder performance (moisture sorption). These observations highlight the contrasting effects that may arise, of a given set of treatment parameters (fiber type, alkali level in treatment), on efficacy of the product performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The usefulness of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for low absorption in the parenchymal phase and contrast effects in the delayed phase for pancreatic cancer is not clear. Therefore, the diagnostic capability of low-KeV images obtained using DECT for pancreatic cancer in the pancreatic parenchymal and delayed phases was evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. Methods: Twenty-five patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent contrast-enhanced DECT were included. A total of 50 and 70 KeV CT images, classified as low-keV and conventional CT-equivalent images, were produced, respectively. The tumor-to-pancreas contrast (Hounsfield units [HU]) in the pancreatic parenchymal and delayed phases was calculated by subtracting the CT value of the pancreatic tumor from that of normal parenchyma. Results: The median tumor-to-pancreas contrast on 50 KeV CT in the pancreatic parenchymal phase (133 HU) was higher than that on conventional CT (68 HU) (p < 0.001). The median tumor-to-pancreas contrast in the delayed phase was −28 HU for 50 KeV CT and −9 HU for conventional CT (p = 0.545). For tumors < 20 mm, the tumor-to-pancreas contrast of 50 KeV CT (−39 HU) had a significantly clearer contrast effect than that of conventional CT (−16.5 HU), even in the delayed phase (p = 0.034). Conclusions: These 50 KeV CT images may clarify the low-absorption areas of pancreatic cancer in the pancreatic parenchymal phase. A good contrast effect was observed in small pancreatic cancers on 50 KeV delayed-phase images, suggesting that DECT is useful for the visualization of early pancreatic cancer with a small tumor diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a novel combination of mortgage datasets, we analyze the effects of two policy levers influencing the scope of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's (Government-Sponsored Enterprises, GSEs) involvement in the U.S. residential mortgage market. First, we find that small changes in mortgage guarantee fees charged by the GSEs were essentially fully passed through to consumers, with limited effects on mortgage demand. This implies that small fee changes are primarily transfers between mortgage consumers and taxpayers while the GSEs remain in federal conservatorship. Second, the data suggest that marginally lowering maximum conforming loan size limits would cause most affected consumers to reduce their loan amounts to the new maximum. Our findings provide new detailed evidence on how GSE policy shapes mortgage availability and contrast the differing effects on consumers of two potential policy levers to reduce (or increase) the scope of GSE lending. Additional survey data indicate that borrowers' shopping behavior and incomplete information may also influence the effects of GSE policy changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research on decisions under risk has documented two contradictory context effects: the contrast effect, where risk preferences in "target" tasks diverge from those in previous "surrounding" tasks, and the assimilation effect that implies the opposite bias. We present four web experiments (three preregistered) that clarify the conditions determining the relative prominence of these opposing effects. Our experiments focus on choice patterns in "target" tasks where participants choose between the status quo and a risky mixed gamble with an expected value of zero. Study 1 examines the impact of surroundings that differ from the target task with respect to the expected benefit from risk‐taking. The findings reveal a strong contrast effect: Decreasing the attractiveness of risk‐taking in the surrounding tasks increased the risk‐taking rate in the target tasks from 53.2% to 79.7%. Study 2 investigates the impact of surroundings that differ in the payoff domain. The findings indicate a strong assimilation effect: Decreasing the attractiveness of risk‐taking in the surrounding tasks decreased the risk‐taking rate in the target tasks from 74.7% to 36.5%. Additionally, the results revealed unpredicted and robust reversed loss aversion patterns which Studies 3 and 4 further clarify. Our findings (1) suggest that the isolated within‐task computations assumed by leading descriptive models overlook substantial contextual considerations, (2) clarify the factors determining the impact of the contrast and assimilation effects in decisions under risk, and (3) provide a theoretical framework for making useful predictions in various scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rapidly expanding human activities have profoundly changed the habitat use of both large carnivores and their prey, but whether and how human activities affect the interactions between them has received relatively less attention. In this study, we conducted a systematically designed camera-trapping survey on an endangered large carnivore (North Chinese leopard Panthera pardus japonensis) and its wild ungulate prey (Siberian roe deer Capreolus pygargus and wild boar Sus scrofa) in the Taihang Mountains of central North China. Using conditional two-species occupancy model based on data derived from the extensive sampling effort (15,654 camera-days at 102 camera sites), we examined the relationship of spatial use between leopards and each prey species under the effects of human presence, free-ranging cattle, roads and settlements. Results: Humans and cattle had contrasting effects on the relationship of spatial use between leopard and roe deer, with higher and lower spatial segregation between them at human and cattle-frequented sites, respectively. Roads might create a shelter for wild boar from leopard predation, with less spatial segregation between them at sites close to the roads. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that human activities are reshaping the spatial overlap between large carnivores and their prey, and have non-equivalent effects among different types of human activity. Such effects may further alter the strength of interspecific interactions between predator and prey, with far-reaching influences on the community and ecosystem that require more research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the potential relationship between folic acid intake and the risk of prostate cancer. Folic acid is a natural form of vitamin B9 that is important for cell growth and division. While some studies suggest that folic acid may have protective effects against certain types of cancer, there is also evidence that high levels of folic acid intake may increase the risk of cancer progression. The article presents the results of a Mendelian randomization analysis, which found a significant association between folic acid supplements and an increased risk of prostate cancer. Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between folic acid and prostate cancer development. [Extracted from the article]

ABSTRACT The root cortical senescence (RCS) is closely associated with root absorptive function. However, characteristics and responses of RCS to drought stress in cotton have received little attention. This study subjected the drought‐tolerant variety ‘Guoxin 02’ and the drought‐sensitive variety ‘Ji 228’ to drought stress (8% PEG6000) and no‐stress (0% PEG6000) treatments to determine the characteristics and responses of cotton RCS to drought stress. The results showed that the greater the distance from the root tip, the more severe the RCS occurrence under drought stress compared with non‐stress treatment. The occurrence of RCS in ‘Guoxin 02’ increased by 14.03%−20.18% compared to ‘Ji 228’ under drought stress. The RCS was negatively correlated with root respiration but positively correlated with root length and leaf water potential. The silencing of RCS‐related genes (GhSAG12 and GhbHLH121) can mitigate the drought‐induced RCS phenomenon in cotton; however, reduced drought tolerance. Exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) treatment can promote RCS generation. Conversely, ABA synthesis exhibits contrasting effects. In summary, endogenous hormones regulated RCS, which reduced the root metabolic and seemingly achieved more resource redistribution to new roots, thereby fully utilize deep water resources. Thus, the study demonstrates the potential of RCS in improving the drought stress tolerance of cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemotherapy resistance is a significant factor in treatment failure in patients with neuroblastoma (NB), and it directly affects patient prognosis. Therefore, identifying novel therapeutic targets to enhance chemosensitivity is essential to improve the cure rate and prognosis of patients withNB. In this study,we investigated the role of FTOin chemosensitivity ofNB cells to various chemotherapeutic drugs.Our results showed that high FTO expression was positively correlated with increased survival probability and favorable prognostic factors in patients with NB. FTO overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, whereas FTO knockdown promoted cell proliferation in NB cells. FTO expression alteration had contrasting effects on NB cells' sensitivity to etoposide but had no significant impact on sensitivity to cisplatin. Downregulation of FTO reduced the sensitivity of NB cells to paclitaxel, whereas upregulation of FTO enhanced its sensitivity. Additionally, the sensitivities between patients with lower and higher FTO expression to various chemotherapeutic drugs or small-molecule inhibitors were different. Thus, FTO affects the sensitivities of NB cells differently depending on the different chemotherapeutic drugs and small-molecule inhibitors. This finding may guide physicians and patients choose the appropriate chemotherapeutic drugs or small-molecule inhibitors for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent technological advancements have empowered nonhuman entities, such as virtual assistants and humanoid robots, to simulate human intelligence and behavior. This paper investigates how autonomous agents influence individuals' perceptions and behaviors toward others, particularly human employees. Our research reveals that the socio‐emotional capabilities of autonomous agents lead individuals to attribute a humanlike mind to these nonhuman entities. Perceiving a high level of humanlike mind in the nonhuman, autonomous agents affects perceptions of actual people through an assimilation process. Consequently, we observe “assimilation‐induced dehumanization”: the humanness judgment of actual people is assimilated toward the lower humanness judgment of autonomous agents, leading to various forms of mistreatment. We demonstrate that assimilation‐induced dehumanization is mitigated when autonomous agents possess capabilities incompatible with humans, leading to a contrast effect (Study 2), and when autonomous agents are perceived as having a high level of cognitive capability only, resulting in a lower level of mind perception of these agents (Study 3). Our findings hold across various types of autonomous agents (embodied: Studies 1–2 and disembodied: Studies 3–5), as well as in real and hypothetical consumer choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a prevalent malignancy that significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality rates among women in developing nations. Although the association of KIF18A with various cancers has been established, its role in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) remains elusive. METHODS: The KIF18A impact on the progression of CESC and its underlying mechanism were investigated through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis utilizing publicly available datasets. The levels of KIF18A and CENPE were assessed in clinical CESC samples through western blotting and qRT-PCR. To discover the role and molecular pathways of KIF18A in CESC, a combination of experimental approaches, including wound-healing, flow cytometry, CCK-8, and Transwell assay, were employed. RESULTS: Our results demonstrate a significant KIF18A expression upregulation in CESC tissues in contrast to healthy tissues. In vitro, KIF18A upregulation was found to enhance cell growth, migration, and invasion and activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway while concurrently suppressing apoptosis. Conversely, downregulating KIF18A exhibited contrasting effects. Mechanistically, we observed a positive significant connection between KIF18A and CENPE in CESC cells. CONCLUSION: KIF18A promotes tumor growth in CESC by modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through regulation of CENPE, making it a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis as well as a therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the significant impact of metal–support interactions on catalytic reaction mechanisms at the interface of oxide-supported metal nanoparticles. The distinct and contrasting effects of SiO2 and TiO2 supports on reaction dynamics using NaBD4 were studied and focused on the relative yields of [HD]/[H2] and [D2]/[H2]. The findings show a consistent increase in HD yields with rising [BD4−] concentrations. Notably, the sequence of HD yield enhancement follows the order of TiO2-Au0-NPs < Au0-NPs < SiO2-Au0-NPs. Conversely, the rate of H2 evolution during BH4- hydrolysis exhibits an inverse trend, with TiO2-Au0-NPs outperforming the others, followed by Au0-NPs and SiO2-Au0-NPs, demonstrating the opposing effects exerted by the TiO2 and SiO2 supports on the catalytic processes. Further, the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) confirms the catalytic mechanism, with TiO2-Au0-NPs demonstrating superior activity. The catalytic activity observed aligns with the order of TiO2-Au0-NPs > Au0-NPs > SiO2-Au0-NPs, suggesting that SiO2 donates electrons to Au0-NPs, while TiO2 withdraws them. It is of interest to note that two very different processes, that clearly proceed via different mechanisms, are affected similarly by the supports. This study reveals that the choice of support material influences catalytic activity, impacting overall yield and efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate support materials for tailored catalytic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social withdrawal in rodents is a measure of asociality, an important negative symptom of schizophrenia. The Roman high- (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rat strains have been reported to exhibit differential profiles in schizophrenia-relevant behavioral phenotypes. This investigation was focused on the study of social and non-social behavior of these two rat strains following acute administration of dizocilpine (MK801, an NMDA receptor antagonist), a pharmacological model of schizophrenia-like features used to produce asociality and hyperactivity. Also, since oxytocin (OXT) has been proposed as a natural antipsychotic and a potential adjunctive therapy for social deficits in schizophrenia, we have evaluated the effects of OXT administration and its ability to reverse the MK801-impairing effects on social and non-social behavior and MK801-induced hyperactivity. MK801 administration produced hyperlocomotion and a decrease in social and non-social behavior in both rat strains, but these drug effects were clearly more marked in RHA rats. OXT (0.04 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg) attenuated MK801-induced hyperlocomotion in both rat strains, although this effect was more marked in RHA rats. The MK801-decreasing effect on exploration of the "social hole" was moderately but significantly attenuated only in RLA rats. This study is the first to demonstrate the differential effects of OXT on MK801-induced impairments in the two Roman rat strains, providing some support for the potential therapeutic effects of OXT against schizophrenia-like symptoms, including both a positive-like symptom (i.e., MK801-induced hyperlocomotion) and a negative-like symptom (i.e., MK801 decrease in social behavior), while highlighting the importance of the genetic background (i.e., the rat strain) in influencing the effects of both MK801 and oxytocin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We test for skewness preferences in a large set of observational panel data on online poker games (n=4,450,585). Each observation refers to a choice between a safe option and a binary risk of winning or losing the game. Our setting offers a real-world choice situation with substantial incentives where probability distributions are simple, transparent, and known to the decision-makers. Individuals reveal a strong and robust preference for skewness, which is inconsistent with expected utility theory. The effect of skewness is most pronounced among experienced and unsuccessful players but remains significant in all subsamples that we investigate, in contrast to the effect of variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associational effects, whereby plants influence the biotic interactions of their neighbors, are an important component of plant–insect interactions. Plant chemistry has been hypothesized to mediate these interactions. The role of chemistry in associational effects, however, has been unclear in part because the diversity of plant chemistry makes it difficult to tease apart the importance and roles of particular classes of compounds. We examined the chemical ecology of associational effects using backcross‐bred plants of the Solanum pennellii introgression lines. We used eight genotypes from the introgression line system to establish 14 unique neighborhood treatments that maximized differences in acyl sugars, proteinase inhibitor, and terpene chemical diversity. We found that the chemical traits of the neighboring plant, rather than simply the number of introgression lines within a neighborhood, influenced insect abundance on focal plants. Furthermore, within‐chemical class diversity had contrasting effects on herbivore and predator abundances, and depended on the frequency of neighboring plant chemotypes. Notably, we found insect mobility—flying versus crawling—played a key role in insect response to phytochemistry. We highlight that the frequency and chemical phenotype of plant neighbors underlie associational effects and suggest this may be an important mechanism in maintaining intraspecific phytochemical variation within plant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanding on prior research with 8‐hydroxyquinoline (8hq) derivatives, this study investigates 5,7‐dibromo‐8‐hydroxyquinoline (8hqBr2) as a ligand in organic–inorganic hybrid materials (OIHMs). A series of 19 compounds and two of its salts were synthesized, employing d‐ and p‐block metal halides to explore the effect of solid‐state supramolecular structures on emission properties. Through the use of density functional theory (DFT), this work emphasizes the critical role of the bromine position within the ligand, contrasting with its effect when located exclusively in halogenometallate anions. The findings reveal that emission is profoundly influenced by π–π stacking, anion‐π interactions, and the configuration of metal cations and bromine substituents. This study not only provides insights into the specific impact of bromine positioning in 8hqBr2 on fluorescence but also contributes to the development of advanced emitters for optoelectronics and sensing, enhancing the understanding of fluorescence modulation in 8‐hydroxyquinoline‐based OIHMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials (NMs) have become one of the most attractive new materials because of their excellent performance and application in the fields of chemistry, agriculture and medicine. However, high prices and potential pollution also limit widespread application of NMs. To prepare cheaper and widely applicable NMs, biological materials, especially plant materials, are being tested for their feasibility as the host of carbon NMs (CNMs) or the carrier of metal NMs (MNMs). This review analyzes the performance and practical applications of current plant-based NMs (PB-NMs) by meta-analysis. The results show that the particle size of PB-NMs is significantly smaller than traditional NMs. Plants improve the production, and hence potential application of NMs, resulting in not only economic advantages but also environmental suitability. At the same time, CNMs below 20 nm have significant protection and promotory effects on plants compared with larger size NMs (above 20 nm) NMs also show contrasting effects on different parts and growth stages of plants. Based on these results, plants can be used as raw materials to produce efficient, environmentally friendly and low toxicity NMs. The applicability of new nanomaterials, including their environmental effects, physicochemical properties and economic advantages, can also be preliminarily confirmed through meta-analysis. Abstract Figure Difference between PB-NMs and non PB-NMs in properties and phytotoxicity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a suitable machine learning potential for SiBCNZr amorphous materials was used in classical molecular dynamics (CMD) for creating the large-scale SiBCNZr amorphous materials with 3375 atoms. This study focused on the effects of Zr on the amorphous structure and atomic diffusion of SiBCN materials. Moreover, the effects of different molar ratio of Zr, B and C atoms on SiBCNZr amorphous materials structure and properties were also detected. The results have revealed the structure evolution of SiBCNZr materials, in which B–N–C clusters with B–N at the core and C aggregated at outer layer formed. The Zr atoms randomly distributed instead of wrapping by the clusters. In addition, it was found that the increasing of Zr contents reduced the size and number of B–N–C clusters, in contrast to the effect of increased B content. The high contents of Zr caused the formation of Zr-rich region, having negative impact on the structural stability. Besides, the increasing of B content facilitated the formation of B–N–C clusters by affect the contents of B–C bonds in the materials, which was also detrimental to the mechanical performances. The lower contents of C in Si 2 B 1 C 1 N 1 Zr 0.15 caused the lower density and ultimate tensile stress of amorphous materials. SiBCNZr amorphous materials were broken at different parts with the different atoms molar ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many animals possess high-contrast body patterns. When moving, these patterns may create confusing or conflicting visual cues that affect a predator's ability to visually target or capture them, a phenomenon called motion dazzle. The dazzle patterns may generate different forms of optical illusion that can mislead observers about the shape, speed, trajectory and range of the animal. Moreover, it is possible that the disruptive visual effects of the high contrast body patterns can be enhanced when moving against a high contrast background. In this study, we used the humbug damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus) to model the apparent motion cues of its high contrast body stripes against high contrast background gratings of different widths and orientations, from the perspective of a predator. We found with higher frequency gratings, when the background is indiscriminable to a viewer, that the humbugs may rely on the confusing motion cues created by internal stripes. With lower frequency gratings, where the background is likely perceivable by a viewer, the humbugs can rely more on confusing motion cues induced by disruption of edges from both the background and body patterning. We also assessed whether humbugs altered their behaviour in response to different backgrounds. Humbugs remained closer and moved less overall in response to backgrounds with a spatial structure similar to their own striped body pattern, possibly to stay camouflaged against the background and thus avoid revealing themselves to potential predators. At backgrounds with higher frequency gratings, humbugs moved more which may represent a greater reliance on the internal contrast of the fish's striped body pattern to generate motion dazzle. It is possible that the humbug stripes provide multiple protective strategies depending on the context and that the fish may alter their behaviour depending on the background to maximise their protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a dynamic trade‐off model of managerial discretion to investigate how stock option compensation relates to managers' intertwined capital structure and dynamic investment decisions. Our model predicts that option grants provide managers with incentives to undertake both current and future investments, in sharp contrast to the effects of stock compensation. With an increase in option compensation, managers in low‐ (high‐) risk firms tend to increase (decrease) firm leverage, while the opposite is true when stock pay increases. This result offers an innovative prospective on the empirical tests of the relationship between option compensation and capital structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The use of computed tomography (CT) in aquarium animals, including elasmobranchs, has increased dramatically. To take advantage of CT, contrast medium is used to enhance internal organs and provide contrast since elasmobranchs lack visceral fat. In this study, the contrast effects of iopamidol were examined for up to 260 days after intravenous administration to establish the time course of the CT values for the target organs in eight mature Cloudy Catsharks Scyliorhinus torazame. Methods: A micro‐CT system was used to measure the CT values of the designated region of interest in the target organs (ventricular cavity, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, ovarian follicles, uterine horn cavity) over time and the eggs laid, following administration of iopamidol (700 mg of iodine/kg). Result: The CT values of the ventricular cavity and kidneys peaked at 30 min and showed low values after day 22. The CT values for the liver increased over time and peaked at day 200, whereas values for the gallbladder and ovarian follicles peaked on day 6, with the gallbladder showing a low value and the ovarian follicles still showing a high value on day 260. Computed tomography images with identifiable enhancement within bilateral uterine horns were followed from days 1 to 35. The mean and maximum CT values of yolk and jelly in eggs laid after day 30 were significantly higher than the values for eggs laid up to day 29; embryonic development was confirmed in 88.7% of the eggs. Conclusion: There was no mortality or morbidity of the sharks during the experiment, indicating that the administration of iopamidol at 700 mg of iodine/kg did not result in any adverse effects for 260 days. This is the first study to describe the long‐term contrast effects of iopamidol, thus contributing new information about the application of contrast studies in Cloudy Catsharks. Impact statementIn elasmobranchs, which include species facing extinction, there is limited knowledge on diagnostic imaging of computed tomography (CT). Soft tissue organs require intravascular administration of a contrast medium for CT imaging, yet data on the contrast effects and duration have been unknown. In this study, conducting CT scans on a Cloudy Catshark over 260 days after contrast medium administration yielded practical new insights into the diagnostic imaging for elasmobranchs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of the antioxidant extract from lemon by-products (Citrus × Limon L.) integrated into an edible alginate-based coating was evaluated to preserve the storage quality of ready-to-eat Clementine (Citrus × Clementina) fruits. The effects of different coatings (1.5% of alginate and 1.5% of alginate + 2–4% of lemon by-product extract) were assessed by the physical, chemical, microbiological, sensorial, and structural analyses of ready-to-eat Clementine fruits stored for 21 d at 4 °C. Ready-to-eat Clementine fruits coated with alginate and extract from lemon by-products showed greater levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and organic acids. A microbiological analysis revealed the dose-dependent effect of the extract to contrast the growth of mesophilic bacteria, yeast, and molds during storage. A sensory analysis confirmed that the enriched coating improved the visual, structural, and olfactory parameters until the end of storage. The evidence in this study proves that an antioxidant extract from lemon by-products is a great sustainable treatment to preserve ready-to-eat fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]