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We developed a serious game with avatars driven by empirically-based algorithms of suspect behavior to train participants in using the Evidence Framing Matrix (EFM), a component of the SUE technique. Ninety-six participants were allocated into four groups (i.e. Control, Training, Feedback, and Training & Feedback) for two interviews. EFM-trained participants used the EFM more than untrained participants in the first interview. Receiving feedback improved EFM use in the second interview. Theoretical training plus feedback made participants use within-statement (in)consistencies more to evaluate avatar statements. The results suggested the potential for using algorithm-driven suspect avatars in investigative interview training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afforestation is widely believed to sequester carbon (C) in soil. However, the effect of afforestation on soil organic C (SOC) accumulation is still debated due to the contrasting features of particulate and mineral‐associated organic C (POC and MAOC). We conducted a field investigation of 144 paired sampling sites by comparing afforested and non‐afforested lands to investigate the POC and MAOC dynamics after afforestation across the Danjiangkou basin in subtropical China, where forests are dominated by Platycladus orientalis, Quercus variabilis and Pinus massoniana. The average contents of SOC, POC, and MAOC were significantly increased by afforestation; however, POC and MAOC responded differently to afforestation type. All afforestation types promoted the POC content, and MAOC also showed positive responses to afforestation except that afforestation with P. massoniana from shrubland significantly reduced the MAOC content. With increasing SOC content, the POC grew at a faster rate than MAOC at high SOC levels. Afforestation hindered the growth rate of POC, while it promoted the growth rate of MAOC as SOC accrued, which potentially obscured the distinct patterns of C accumulation triggered by afforestation. The variation partitioning suggests that, under afforestation, microbial traits had a higher contribution to both POC and MAOM variations compared with non‐afforested land. These results suggest that the robust buildup of microbial biomass due to increased plant C input following afforestation could contribute to soil C accumulation by promoting microbial necromass. Plain Language Summary: Our research team conducted a field investigation at 144 paired sampling sites by comparing afforested and non‐afforested lands to investigate the particulate and mineral‐associated organic carbon (POC and MAOC) dynamics after afforestation at a regional scale in central China. For years, the scientific community has been puzzled by the intricate workings of soil organic C (SOC) cycling due to the contrasting features of POC and MAOC under land use change. In this study, we focused on the afforestation‐induced changes in SOC fractions and their responses, and quantified the variations in the POC and MAOC explained by edaphic properties, microbial traits, and the microbial‐ and plant‐derived carbon. Our results suggest that the growth rates of POC and MAOC with increasing SOC were altered by afforestation, which has never been clarified before. The divergent responses of POC and MAOC and the importance of microbe‐related processes also advance the understanding of soil C cycling under afforestation concerning C neutrality. Key Points: Particulate and mineral‐associated organic carbon (POC and MAOC) differed in response to afforestation types; afforestation impeded the accrual rate of POC while stimulating that of MAOCThe contribution of microbial traits in regulating SOC fractions increased following afforestationEnlarged microbial biomass facilitated the accumulation of POC and MAOC through the elevated accrual of microbial necromass [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression and anxiety have become increasingly prevalent across the globe. The rising need for treatment and the lack of clinicians has resulted in prolonged waiting times for patients to receive their first session. Responding to this gap, digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) have been found effective in treating depression and anxiety and are potentially promising pretreatments for patients who are awaiting face-to-face psychotherapy. Nevertheless, whether digital interventions effectively alleviate symptoms for patients on waiting lists for face-to-face psychotherapy remains unclear. Objective: This review aimed to synthesize the effectiveness of DMHIs for relieving depression and anxiety symptoms of patients on waiting lists for face-to-face therapy. This review also investigated the features, perceived credibility, and usability of DMHIs during waiting times. Methods: In this systematic review, we searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane, and Web of Science for research studies investigating the effectiveness of DMHIs in reducing either depression or anxiety symptoms among individuals waiting for face-to-face psychotherapy. The search was conducted in June 2024, and we have included the studies that met the inclusion criteria and were published before June 6, 2024. Results: Of the 9267 unique records identified, 8 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. Five studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 3 studies were not. Among the RCTs, we found that digital interventions reduced depression and anxiety symptoms, but the majority of interventions were not more effective compared to the control groups where participants simply waited or received a self-help book. For the non-RCTs, the interventions also reduced symptoms, but without control groups, the interpretation of the findings is limited. Finally, participants in the included studies perceived the digital interventions to be credible and useful, but high dropout rates raised concerns about treatment adherence. Conclusions: Due to the lack of effective interventions among the reviewed studies, especially among the RCTs, our results suggest that waiting list DMHIs are not more effective compared to simply waiting or using a self-help book. However, more high-quality RCTs with larger sample sizes are warranted in order to draw a more robust conclusion. Additionally, as this review revealed concerns regarding the high dropout rate in digital interventions, future studies could perhaps adopt more personalized and human-centered functions in interventions to increase user engagement, with the potential to increase treatment adherence and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A major barrier to achieving a favorable outcome of chronic HBV infection is a dysregulated HBV-specific immune response resulting from immunosuppressive features of FOXP3+ T cells. A better definition of FOXP3+ T cells is essential for improving the prognosis of HBV infection. We aimed to investigate the role of CD4+CXCR5−FOXP3+ T cells with CTLA4 expression in patients with chronic HBV infection. Methods: Treatment-naïve chronic HBV-infected patients, HBV-related hepatic failure, and a longitudinal cohort of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment were enrolled for analysis of CD4+CXCR5−FOXP3+ T cell responses by flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Results: ScRNA-seq revealed that circulating CD4+CXCR5−FOXP3+ T cells presented distinct inhibitory features compared to spleen tissue. Meanwhile, patients with treatment-naïve chronic HBV infection or with HBV-related hepatic failure showed an upregulation of immune-suppressive features (PD-1, CTLA4, GITR) on CD4+CXCR5−FOXP3+T cells; in vitro analysis found HBeAg and HBcAg stimulation induced elevated levels of inhibitory molecules. Notably, the frequency of CTLA4+CD4+CXCR5−FOXP3+ T cells was positively correlated with HBV DNA levels, and longitudinal analysis demonstrated a high frequency of this subset at 12 weeks of antiviral treatment predicted unfavorable outcome in CHB patients. Conclusions: CTLA4+CD4+CXCR5−FOXP3+ T cells are related to unfavorable outcomes in HBV-infected patients; these data indicated that alleviating CTLA4+CD4+CXCR5−FOXP3+ T cells may improve the prognosis of HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afforestation is an efficient approach to sequestering large amounts of carbon from terrestrial ecosystems. However, the impact of afforestation on soil N and P dynamics remains largely uncertain because of the complex mechanisms jointly regulated by climate, plants, and soil. Here, we proceed with a meta-analysis of 742 observations from 110 articles to assess the effects of soil N and P dynamics following afforestation. Afforestation significantly increased total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (AP) content but decreased NH 4 +-N and total phosphorus (TP) content. The weighted response ratios (RR ++) of TN, NH 4 +-N, NO 3 --N, TP, and AP showed divergent patterns among the categorical groups (i.e., ecozones, leaf types, leaf phenology, and climate zones). In contrast to afforestation in the upland zones, afforestation significantly decreased TN content but increased NH 4 +-N and NO 3 --N in the riparian zones. Mixed-species afforestation with broadleaved and needle-leaved trees significantly decreased soil TN and TP but increased NH 4 +-N, NO 3 --N, and AP contents. Variations in the response of TN were mainly ascribed to soil properties (e.g., pH, bulk density, BD, and soil organic carbon, SOC) and microbial biomass, with relative contributions of 48.91% and 29.11%, respectively. In particular, microbial biomass accounted for the largest proportion (64.56%) of the variation in the response of TP, followed by climate and soil properties, which contributed 77.09% of the total variation in TP response. Among the soil properties, SOC was the primary factor regulating changes in TN and TP, especially TN, following afforestation. Overall, our results reveal the different dynamics between soil N and P following afforestation, which not only reflects the decoupling of soil N and P cycles but also provides novel insights into the underlying mechanisms of soil N and P dynamics in response to future scenarios of land use change. • Soil TN and TP showed divergent patterns following afforestation. • Afforestation increased soil TN and AP, but decreased soil NH 4 +-N and TP. • Responses of soil N and P differed among ecosystem, climatic and vegetation groups. • Microbial biomass played a vital role in regulating dynamic changes of soil N and P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cells play important roles in antitumor immunity. However, given that the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor microenvironment confers resistance to T cell-based immunotherapies, novel strategies to boost T cell-mediated antitumor efficacy are urgently needed for the treatment of HCC. Here, we show that high proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type9 (PCSK9) expression was negatively associated with HCC patient's overall survival and markers of CD8 + T cells. Pharmacological inhibition of PCSK9 enhanced tumor-specific killing and downregulated PD-1 expression of AFP-specific TCR-T. Inhibition of PCSK9 significantly enhances the anti-HCC efficacy of TCR-T cells and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in vivo . Moreover, PCSK9 inhibitor suppressed HCC growth dependent on CD8 + T cells. Mechanically, pharmacological inhibition of PCSK9 promoted low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-mediated activation of mTORC1 signaling in CD8 + T cells. LDLR deficiency was shown to impair cellular mTORC1 signaling and the anti-HCC function of CD8 T cells. On the basis of our findings in this study, we propose a potential metabolic intervention strategy that could be used to enhance the antitumor effects of immunotherapy for HCC., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)