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Small sample sizes contribute to several problems in research and knowledge advancement. This conceptual replication study confirmed and extended the inflation of type II errors and confidence intervals in correlation analyses of small sample sizes common in kinesiology/exercise science. Current population data (N = 18, 230, & 464) on four mechanical variables of three kinds of tennis strings were used to study the effect of small randomly selected sample sizes. All small sample sizes (n = 10, 25, 50, & 100) had one to three type II errors in statistical tests of the six pairwise correlations and partial correlations but no type I errors. Correlation coefficients from these small sample sizes had imprecise mean confidence interval widths (.34 to 1.08) that limit accurate statistical inferences, sizes of associations, and are most vulnerable to not detecting small (ρ < .4) true associations in the population. These data confirm that there are likely numerous type II errors and imprecise correlation coefficients in KSES studies using small samples sizes that may slow the knowledge advancement of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What can the financial management of small industries and other enterprises, particularly in developing countries, do to reduce their perception of risk to investors? Lowering the beta would allow these companies to access capital at a lower cost, which could have a favorable impact on their valuation. Could financial management do anything to reduce non-diversifiable risk? The aim of this paper is to contribute with new elements to the existing debate as to whether specific or inherent factors of the company can affect the company's non-diversifiable risk, measured by beta. To this end, a balanced and short panel data was built, which has 603 companies listed on Latin American stock exchanges in a relatively short period of time (2016-2021). For Mexican companies, evidence shows the greater the persistence of earnings, the higher the beta. While the adoption of international accounting standards can improve the quality of companies' earnings, this adoption can also affect their market capitalization. Whereas, by economic sector, regardless of the country of origin, it is found that in the banking sector and in the agricultural production sector, the greater the persistence of profits, the lower the risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies investigating language commonly isolate one modality or process, focusing on comprehension or production. Here, we present a framework for a paradigm that combines both: the Concise Language Paradigm (CLaP), tapping into comprehension and production within one trial. The trial structure is identical across conditions, presenting a sentence followed by a picture to be named. We tested 21 healthy speakers with EEG to examine three time periods during a trial (sentence, pre-picture interval, picture onset), yielding contrasts of sentence comprehension, contextually and visually guided word retrieval, object recognition, and naming. In the CLaP, sentences are presented auditorily (constrained, unconstrained, reversed), and pictures appear as normal (constrained, unconstrained, bare) or scrambled objects. Imaging results revealed different evoked responses after sentence onset for normal and time-reversed speech. Further, we replicated the context effect of alpha-beta power decreases before picture onset for constrained relative to unconstrained sentences, and could clarify that this effect arises from power decreases following constrained sentences. Brain responses locked to picture-onset differed as a function of sentence context and picture type (normal vs. scrambled), and naming times were fastest for pictures in constrained sentences, followed by scrambled picture naming, and equally fast for bare and unconstrained picture naming. Finally, we also discuss the potential of the CLaP to be adapted to different focuses, using different versions of the linguistic content and tasks, in combination with electrophysiology or other imaging methods. These first results of the CLaP indicate that this paradigm offers a promising framework to investigate the language system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of visual letters and speech sounds is a crucial part of learning to read. Previous studies investigating this integration have revealed a modulation by audiovisual (AV) congruency, commonly known as the congruency effect. To investigate the cortical oscillations of the congruency effects across different oscillatory frequency bands, we conducted a Japanese priming task in which a visual letter was followed by a speech sound. We analyzed the power and phase properties of oscillatory activities in the theta and beta bands between congruent and incongruent letter‐speech sound (L‐SS) pairs. Our results revealed stronger theta‐band (5–7 Hz) power in the congruent condition and cross‐modal phase resetting within the auditory cortex, accompanied by enhanced inter‐trial phase coherence (ITPC) in the auditory‐related areas in response to the congruent condition. The observed congruency effect of theta‐band power may reflect increased neural activities in the left auditory region during L‐SS integration. Additionally, theta ITPC findings suggest that visual letters amplify neuronal responses to the following corresponding auditory stimulus, which may reflect the differential cross‐modal influences in the primary auditory cortex. In contrast, decreased beta‐band (20–35 Hz) oscillatory power was observed in the right centroparietal regions for the congruent condition. The reduced beta power seems to be unrelated to the processing of AV integration, but may be interpreted as the brain response to predicting auditory sounds during language processing. Our data provide valuable insights by indicating that oscillations in different frequency bands contribute to the disparate aspects of L‐SS integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal decomposition of a heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco at four temperatures (250–400 °C) was studied via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Multi-shot pyrolizer experiments (Py-GC/MS), and the effect of four potential additives, USY Beta and beta zeolites and Silica Lovel 6000 and SBA-15 silicates at three concentrations (5, 15 and 25% w/w) under an inert and oxidative atmosphere was analyzed. Different techniques were applied showing that the presence of the additives modifies the decomposition processes (TGA). Py-GC/MS showed that these tobaccos generate large amounts of Nicotine and Glycerine. Acid compounds are the most abundant compounds under an inert atmosphere, while Oxygenated compounds predominate under an oxidative atmosphere. In both atmospheres, Furans and Aromatics present in a significant abundance at high temperatures. The additives used reduce both the number and the concentration of most of the compounds generated, especially at high temperatures and concentrations. Moreover, SBA-15 shows good aptitudes to reduce the formation of some individual compounds included in the FDA's HPHC list, such as Acetone and Acetaldehyde. Finally, smoking experiments corroborated that all additives produce marked reductions in TPM, i.e., the majority fraction obtained, and in practically all the compounds generated. Phenol, a toxicant compound that was detected in a significant amount, is also markedly reduced. SBA-15 is the material that presents a major reduction in the TPM and the principal compounds generated. These results may be of great interest for further reducing the toxicity of smoking this type of heat-not-burn tobacco product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundNitric oxide (NO) has been identified as a signaling molecule generated during β-adrenergic receptor stimulation in the heart. Furthermore, a role for NO in triggering spontaneous Ca2+ release via S-nitrosylation of CaMKIIδ (Ca2+/calmodulin kinase II delta) is emerging. NO donors are routinely used clinically for their cardioprotective effects on the heart, but it is unknown how NO donors modulate the proarrhythmic CaMKII to alter cardiac arrhythmia incidence. We test the role of S-nitrosylation of CaMKIIδ at the Cysteine-273 inhibitory site and cysteine-290 activating site in cardiac Ca2+ handling and arrhythmogenesis before and during β-adrenergic receptor stimulation.MethodsWe measured Ca2+-handling in isolated cardiomyocytes from C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) mice and mice lacking CaMKIIδ expression (CaMKIIδ-KO) or with deletion of the S-nitrosylation site on CaMKIIδ at cysteine-273 or cysteine-290 (CaMKIIδ-C273S and -C290A knock-in mice). Cardiomyocytes were exposed to NO donors, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO; 150 μM), sodium nitroprusside (200 μM), and β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (100 nmol/L).ResultsBoth WT and CaMKIIδ-KO cardiomyocytes responded to isoproterenol with a full inotropic and lusitropic Ca2+ transient response as well as increased Ca2+ spark frequency. However, the increase in Ca2+ spark frequency was significantly attenuated in CaMKIIδ-KO cardiomyocytes. The protection from isoproterenol-induced Ca2+ sparks and waves was mimicked by GSNO pretreatment in WT cardiomyocytes but lost in CaMKIIδ-C273S cardiomyocytes. When GSNO was applied after isoproterenol, this protection was not observed in WT or CaMKIIδ-C273S but was apparent in CaMKIIδ-C290A. In Langendorff-perfused isolated hearts, GSNO pretreatment limited isoproterenol-induced arrhythmias in WT but not CaMKIIδ-C273S hearts, while GSNO exposure after isoproterenol sustained or exacerbated arrhythmic events.ConclusionsWe conclude that prior S-nitrosylation of CaMKIIδ at cysteine-273 can limit subsequent β-adrenergic receptor-induced arrhythmias, but that S-nitrosylation at cysteine-290 might worsen or sustain β-adrenergic receptor-induced arrhythmias. This has important implications for the administration of NO donors in the clinical setting.

The Stroop Task is a well-known neuropsychological task developed to investigate conflict processing in the human brain. Our group has utilized direct intracranial neural recordings in various brain regions during performance of a modified color-word Stroop Task to gain a mechanistic understanding of non-emotional human conflict processing. The purpose of this review article is to: 1) synthesize our own studies into a model of human conflict processing, 2) review the current literature on the Stroop Task and other conflict tasks to put our research in context, and 3) describe how these studies define a network in conflict processing. The figures presented are reprinted from our prior publications and key publications referenced in the manuscript. We summarize all studies to date that employ invasive intracranial recordings in humans during performance of conflict-inducing tasks. For our own studies, we analyzed local field potentials (LFPs) from patients with implanted stereotactic electroencephalography (SEEG) electrodes, and we observed intracortical oscillation patterns as well as intercortical temporal relationships in the hippocampus, amygdala, and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) during the cue-processing phase of a modified Stroop Task. Our findings suggest that non-emotional human conflict processing involves modulation across multiple frequency bands within and between brain structures.

Drought is considered the main agricultural menace, limiting the successful realization of land potential, and thereby reducing crop productivity worldwide. Therefore, breeding maize hybrids with improved drought tolerance via genetic manipulation is necessary. Herein, the multiple bud clumps of elite inbred maize lines, DH4866, Qi319, Y478 and DH9938, widely used in China, were transformed with the Escherichia coli betA gene encoding choline dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.99.1), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of glycine betaine from choline, using Agrobacterium to generate betA transgenic lines. After 3–4 consecutive generations of self-pollination in these transgenic plants, progenies with a uniform appearance, excellent drought tolerance, and useful agricultural traits were obtained. We evaluated the drought tolerance of T4 progenies derived from these transgenic plants in the field under reduced irrigation. We found that a few lines exhibited much higher drought tolerance than the non-transformed control plants. Transgenic plants accumulated higher levels of glycine betaine and were relatively more tolerant to drought stress than the controls at both the germination and early seedling stages. The grain yield of the transgenic plants was significantly higher than that of the control plants after drought treatment. Drought-tolerant inbred lines were mated and crossed to create hybrids, and the drought tolerance of these transgenic hybrids was found to be enhanced under field conditions compared with those of the non-transgenic (control) plants and two other commercial hybrids in China. High yield and drought tolerance were achieved concurrently. These transgenic inbred lines and hybrids were useful in marginal and submarginal lands in semiarid and arid regions. The betA transgene can improve the viability of crops grown in soils with sufficient or insufficient water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the shape of cortical oscillations is increasingly recognised to be physiologically and functionally informative, its relevance to the aging motor system has not been established. We therefore examined the shape of alpha and beta band oscillations recorded at rest, as well as during performance of simple and go/no-go reaction time tasks, in 33 young (23.3 ± 2.9 years, 27 females) and 27 older (60.0 ± 5.2 years, 23 females) adults. The shape of individual oscillatory cycles was characterised using a recently developed pipeline involving empirical mode decomposition, before being decomposed into waveform motifs using principal component analysis. This revealed four principal components that were uniquely influenced by task and/or age. These described specific dimensions of shape and tended to be modulated during the reaction phase of each task. Our results suggest that although oscillation shape is task-dependent, the nature of this effect is altered by advancing age, possibly reflecting alterations in cortical activity. These outcomes demonstrate the utility of this approach for understanding the neurophysiological effects of ageing. • The shape of cortical oscillations is physiologically and functionally relevant. • The influence of ageing on waveform shape is unknown. • Waveform motifs describing alpha and beta oscillation shape were derived. • Shape motifs were compared between young and older adults during motor tasks. • Different facets of shape showed unique sensitivity to ageing and task performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers measurement system assessment for compositional data, component proportions that sum to one. The data are typically collected from a gauge R&R study, that is, an experiment. We propose a model and use it to analyze real data from a glass composition study. We also simulate data to assess the impact of the gauge R&R study design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral candidiasis has been documented in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, with varying prevalence rates across geographic regions and patient demographics. This study aimed to ascertain the incidence, characteristics, and risk factors associated with the development of oral candidiasis in patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a tertiary infectious diseases hospital in Romania. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on adult patients hospitalized between March 2020 and December 2022 with moderate or severe forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, for whom a culture of lingual scrapings for Candida spp. was performed. Results: A total of 294 patients were deemed eligible for inclusion in the analysis, with an incidence rate of oral candidiasis of 17.0%. The incidence of oral candidiasis was 4.2 times higher in patients with severe forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to those with moderate forms. Patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 and oral candidiasis were more likely to receive antibiotics (98.0% vs. 86.1%, p = 0.017) and corticosteroids (100% vs. 83.6%, p = 0.003) than those without oral candidiasis. These findings were associated with a 19% higher relative risk of developing oral candidiasis for patients who received corticosteroid therapy compared to those who did not, and a 13% higher relative risk for those who were administered antibiotics compared to those who were not. The presence of respiratory insufficiency increased the odds of oral candidiasis association 4.7-fold (88.0% vs. 61.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Although the data have been analyzed retrospectively, we have shown that individuals with severe forms of COVID-19 exhibited an elevated risk of developing oral candidiasis. The administration of antibiotics and corticosteroids was identified as a positive predictor for the development of oral candidiasis. The data presented here suggest that a key aspect of the therapeutic management of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection should include the implementation of preventive measures to minimize the risk of secondary fungal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are concerns over the effects of increasingly large and high‐severity fires that burn outside the local natural range of variation on ecosystem services and biodiversity.Pollinators provide important ecosystem services in the dry forests of the western United States where they depend on open habitat created or maintained by frequent, low‐ to moderate‐severity fire.We investigated the impact of burn severity on pollinator diversity in upland forest and meadow habitat at local (i.e., at the plot scale) and regional (burn severity class) spatial scales in the Sierra Nevada of California.In meadows, pollinator richness declined with increasing burn severity, but in uplands, there was no significant effect of burn severity on pollinator richness. Absence of pollinators was more likely to occur in unburned or high‐severity uplands.At the regional scale, we found that α was similar among burn classes in both habitats, although communities in burned uplands tended to be less even than unburned uplands. β was significantly higher in moderately burned than unburned upland habitat, but there were no significant differences in β for meadow habitats.Because meadows tend to be both more diverse and more sensitive to the negative impacts of high‐severity fire than uplands, conservation measures for pollinators could prioritise the removal of encroaching conifer species that may increase fire severity in these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alpha, beta, and gamma diversity of Braconidae was analyzed in three avocado orchards (Piedra Rajada, the Guardián, and Montitlán) in Colima, Mexico, from monthly samplings from September 2016 to June 2017. In total, 171 braconids were collected. These included 21 genera (nine are new records for Colima) and 28 morphospecies that corresponded to 73% of the expected richness in the study area. The orchard in Piedra Rajada had the highest number of species and diversity. The update of the Braconidae genera for the state of Colima, Mexico is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. No device is yet available to effectively capture the attentional repercussions of hypersomnolence (HYP). The present study aimed to compare attentional performance of children with HYP, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and controls using behavioral and electrophysiological (EEG) markers, and to assess their relationship with conventional sleepiness measurements. Methods. Children with HYP underwent a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and completed the adapted Epworth sleepiness scale (AESS). Along with age-matched children with ADHD, they were submitted to a resting EEG followed by the Bron–Lyon Attention Stability Test (BLAST). The control group only performed the BLAST. Multivariate models compared reaction time (RT), error percentage, BLAST-Intensity, BLAST-Stability, theta activity, and theta/beta ratio between groups. Correlations between these measures and conventional sleepiness measurements were conducted in children with HYP. Results. Children with HYP had lower RT and BLAST-Stability than controls but showed no significant difference in BLAST/EEG markers compared to children with ADHD. The AESS was positively correlated with the percentage of errors and negatively with BLAST-Intensity. Conclusions. Children with HYP showed impulsivity and attention fluctuations, without difference from children with ADHD for BLAST/EEG markers. The BLAST–EEG protocol could be relevant for the objective assessment of attentional fluctuations related to hypersomnolence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Stroop Task is a well-known neuropsychological task developed to investigate conflict processing in the human brain. Our group has utilized direct intracranial neural recordings in various brain regions during performance of a modified color-word Stroop Task to gain a mechanistic understanding of non-emotional human conflict processing. The purpose of this review article is to: 1) synthesize our own studies into a model of human conflict processing, 2) review the current literature on the Stroop Task and other conflict tasks to put our research in context, and 3) describe how these studies define a network in conflict processing. The figures presented are reprinted from our prior publications and key publications referenced in the manuscript. We summarize all studies to date that employ invasive intracranial recordings in humans during performance of conflict-inducing tasks. For our own studies, we analyzed local field potentials (LFPs) from patients with implanted stereotactic electroencephalography (SEEG) electrodes, and we observed intracortical oscillation patterns as well as intercortical temporal relationships in the hippocampus, amygdala, and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) during the cue-processing phase of a modified Stroop Task. Our findings suggest that non-emotional human conflict processing involves modulation across multiple frequency bands within and between brain structures. • Stroop Task can be used to investigate the neural signatures of conflict processing. • We identified several novel neural oscillations of human conflict processing. • Human conflict processing involves modulation across multiple frequency bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are non-infectious and serve as promising vaccine platforms because they mimic the membrane-embedded conformations of fusion glycoproteins on native viruses. Here, we employed SARS-CoV-2 VLPs (SMEN) presenting ancestral, Beta, or Omicron spikes to identify the variant spike that elicits potent and cross-protective immune responses in the highly sensitive K18-hACE2 challenge mouse model. A combined intranasal and intramuscular SMEN vaccine regimen generated the most effective immune responses to significantly reduce disease burden. Protection was primarily mediated by antibodies, with minor but distinct contributions from T cells in reducing virus spread and inflammation. Immunization with SMEN carrying ancestral spike resulted in 100, 75, or 0% protection against ancestral, Delta, or Beta variant-induced mortality, respectively. However, SMEN with an Omicron spike provided only limited protection against ancestral (50%), Delta (0%), and Beta (25%) challenges. By contrast, SMEN with Beta spikes offered 100% protection against the variants used in this study. Thus, the Beta variant not only overcame the immunity produced by other variants, but the Beta spike also elicited diverse and effective humoral immune responses. Our findings suggest that leveraging the Beta variant spike protein can enhance SARS-CoV-2 immunity, potentially leading to a more comprehensive vaccine against emerging variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibition is a key cognitive control mechanism humans use to enable goal-directed behavior. When rapidly exerted, inhibitory control has broad, nonselective motor effects, typically demonstrated using corticospinal excitability measurements (CSE) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). For example, during rapid action-stopping, CSE is suppressed at both stopped and task-unrelated muscles. While such TMS-based CSE measurements have provided crucial insights into the fronto-basal ganglia circuitry underlying inhibitory control, they have several downsides. TMS is contraindicated in many populations (e.g., epilepsy or deep-brain stimulation patients), has limited temporal resolution, produces distracting auditory and haptic stimulation, is difficult to combine with other imaging methods, and necessitates expensive, immobile equipment. Here, we attempted to measure the nonselective motor effects of inhibitory control using a method unaffected by these shortcomings. Thirty male and female human participants exerted isometric force on a high-precision handheld force transducer while performing a foot-response stop-signal task. Indeed, when foot movements were successfully stopped, force output at the task-irrelevant hand was suppressed as well. Moreover, this nonselective reduction of isometric force was highly correlated with stop-signal performance and showed frequency dynamics similar to established inhibitory signatures typically found in neural and muscle recordings. Together, these findings demonstrate that isometric force recordings can reliably capture the nonselective effects of motor inhibition, opening the door to many applications that are hard or impossible to realize with TMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are primary components of air pollutants that pose a risk to the environment and public health. Adsorption is regarded as one of the most effective and practical strategies for dealing with VOCs contamination. A series of shaped binderless Beta/ZSM-5 composites were produced by a vapor-phase transfer method and dealuminated using a sulfuric acid solution to increase SiO2/Al2O3 ratio after steaming treatment to further increase the hydrophobicity of the samples. The shaped binderless Beta/ZSM-5 composites were characterized with XRD, SEM, TEM, XRF, NMR and N2 adsorption-desorption. The VOCs adsorption properties of the dealuminated Beta/ZSM-5 mesoporous composites and microporous ZSM-5 zeolites were assessed using dynamic adsorption experiments and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) under both dry and wet environments. The results revealed that the dealuminated Beta/ZSM-5 composites have larger specific surface area and mesopore volume as well as strong hydrophobicity, and exhibit higher toluene, butyl acetate and o-xylene adsorption capacity than ZSM-5 under either dry or wet environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying metacontrol and conflict regulation is crucial for insights into cognitive flexibility and persistence. This study employed electroencephalography (EEG), EEG-beamforming and directed connectivity analyses to explore how varying metacontrol states influence conflict regulation at a neurophysiological level. Metacontrol states were manipulated by altering the frequency of congruent and incongruent trials across experimental blocks in a modified flanker task, and both behavioral and electrophysiological measures were analyzed. Behavioral data confirmed the experimental manipulation's efficacy, showing an increase in persistence bias and a reduction in flexibility bias during increased conflict regulation. Electrophysiologically, theta band activity paralleled the behavioral data, suggesting that theta oscillations reflect the mismatch between expected metacontrol bias and actual task demands. Alpha and beta band dynamics differed across experimental blocks, though these changes did not directly mirror behavioral effects. Post-response alpha and beta activity were more pronounced in persistence-biased states, indicating a neural reset mechanism preparing for future cognitive demands. By using a novel artificial neural networks method, directed connectivity analyses revealed enhanced inter-regional communication during persistence states, suggesting stronger top-down control and sensorimotor integration. Overall, theta band activity was closely tied to metacontrol processes, while alpha and beta bands played a role in resetting the neural system for upcoming tasks. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the neural substrates involved in metacontrol and conflict monitoring, emphasizing the distinct roles of different frequency bands in these cognitive processes.

Learning, memory, and cognition are thought to require synaptic plasticity, specifically including hippocampal long-term potentiation and depression (LTP and LTD). LTP versus LTD is induced by high-frequency stimulation versus low-frequency, but stimulating β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) enables LTP induction also by low-frequency stimulation (1 Hz) or theta frequencies (∼5 Hz) that do not cause plasticity by themselves. In contrast to high-frequency stimulation-LTP, such βAR-LTP requires Ca2+-flux through L-type voltage-gated Ca2+-channels, not N-methyl-D-aspartate-type glutamate receptors. Surprisingly, we found that βAR-LTP still required a nonionotropic scaffolding function of the N-methyl-D-aspartate-type glutamate receptor: the stimulus-induced binding of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) to its GluN2B subunit that mediates CaMKII movement to excitatory synapses. In hippocampal neurons, β-adrenergic stimulation with isoproterenol (Iso) transformed LTD-type CaMKII movement to LTP-type movement, resulting in CaMKII movement to excitatory instead of inhibitory synapses. Additionally, Iso enabled induction of a major cell-biological feature of LTP in response to LTD stimuli: increased surface expression of GluA1 fused with super-ecliptic pHluorein. Like for βAR-LTP in hippocampal slices, the Iso effects on CaMKII movement and surface expression of GluA1 fused with super-ecliptic pHluorein involved L-type Ca2+-channels and specifically required β2-ARs. Taken together, these results indicate that Iso transforms LTD stimuli to LTP signals by switching CaMKII movement and GluN2B binding to LTP mode.

Activation of β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) not only enhances learning and memory but also facilitates the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP), a form of synaptic plasticity involved in memory formation. To identify the mechanisms underlying β-AR-dependent forms of LTP we examined the effects of the β-AR agonist isoproterenol on LTP induction at excitatory synapses onto CA1 pyramidal cells in the ventral hippocampus. LTP induction at these synapses is inhibited by activation of SK-type K+ channels, suggesting that β-AR activation might facilitate LTP induction by inhibiting SK channels. However, although the SK channel blocker apamin enhanced LTP induction, it did not fully mimic the effects of isoproterenol. We therefore searched for potential alternative mechanisms using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to determine how β-AR activation regulates phosphorylation of postsynaptic density (PSD) proteins. Strikingly, β-AR activation regulated hundreds of phosphorylation sites in PSD proteins that have diverse roles in dendritic spine structure and function. Moreover, within the core scaffold machinery of the PSD, β-AR activation increased phosphorylation at several sites previously shown to be phosphorylated after LTP induction. Together, our results suggest that β-AR activation recruits a diverse set of signaling pathways that likely act in a concerted fashion to regulate LTP induction.

Key points Exercise is a potent stimulus for combatting skeletal muscle ageing. To study the effects of exercise on muscle in a preclinical setting, we developed a combined endurance–resistance training stimulus for mice called progressive weighted wheel running (PoWeR). PoWeR improves molecular, biochemical, cellular and functional characteristics of skeletal muscle and promotes aspects of partial epigenetic reprogramming when performed late in life (22–24 months of age). In this investigation, we leveraged pan‐mammalian DNA methylome arrays and tandem mass‐spectrometry proteomics in skeletal muscle to provide detailed information on late‐life PoWeR adaptations in female mice relative to age‐matched sedentary controls (n = 7–10 per group). Differential CpG methylation at conserved promoter sites was related to transcriptional regulation genes as well as Nr4a3, Hes1 and Hox genes after PoWeR. Using a holistic method of ‐omics integration called binding and expression target analysis (BETA), methylome changes were associated with upregulated proteins related to global and mitochondrial translation after PoWeR (P = 0.03). Specifically, BETA implicated methylation control of ribosomal, mitoribosomal, and mitochondrial complex I protein abundance after training. DNA methylation may also influence LACTB, MIB1 and UBR4 protein induction with exercise – all are mechanistically linked to muscle health. Computational cistrome analysis predicted several transcription factors including MYC as regulators of the exercise trained methylome–proteome landscape, corroborating prior late‐life PoWeR transcriptome data. Correlating the proteome to muscle mass and fatigue resistance revealed positive relationships with VPS13A and NPL levels, respectively. Our findings expose differential epigenetic and proteomic adaptations associated with translational regulation after PoWeR that could influence skeletal muscle mass and function in aged mice. Late‐life combined endurance–resistance exercise training from 22–24 months of age in mice is shown to improve molecular, biochemical, cellular and in vivo functional characteristics of skeletal muscle and promote aspects of partial epigenetic reprogramming and epigenetic age mitigation. Integration of DNA CpG 36k methylation arrays using conserved sites (which also contain methylation ageing clock sites) with exploratory proteomics in skeletal muscle extends our prior work and reveals coordinated and widespread regulation of ribosomal, translation initiation, mitochondrial ribosomal (mitoribosomal) and complex I proteins after combined voluntary exercise training in a sizeable cohort of female mice (n = 7–10 per group and analysis). Multi‐omics integration predicted epigenetic regulation of serine β‐lactamase‐like protein (LACTB – linked to tumour resistance in muscle), mind bomb 1 (MIB1 – linked to satellite cell and type 2 fibre maintenance) and ubiquitin protein ligase E3 component N‐recognin 4 (UBR4 – linked to muscle protein quality control) after training. Computational cistrome analysis identified MYC as a regulator of the late‐life training proteome, in agreement with prior transcriptional analyses. Vacuolar protein sorting 13 homolog A (VPS13A) was positively correlated to muscle mass, and the glycoprotein/glycolipid associated sialylation enzyme N‐acetylneuraminate pyruvate lyase (NPL) was associated to in vivo muscle fatigue resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power flow analysis is a key component in system evaluation. Among the various methods available, the Newton-Raphson approach is particularly effective. However, this method typically represents the generator capability curve (GCC) using a quadrilateral limit, defined by Pmin-Pmax and Qmin-Qmax constraints. This often results in certain parts of the GCC being disregarded, which can lead to less optimal performance during power flow analysis. To address this issue, this study introduces a new method: the Extreme Learning Machine Generator Capability Curve (ELMGCC), which aims to more accurately represent the shape of the GCC. ELMGCC replaces the traditional rectangular limits to better constrain the generator's operating point during power flow calculations. The study applies ELM-GCC to both the Newton-Raphson (NR) and Fast Decoupled (FD) power flow methods to assess the effectiveness of this new approach. Simulation results using IEEE 30 Bus data with slight modifications show that the proposed method can maintain PV Bus performance up to 83.33% and reduce losses by 0.108216368053700 MW and 0.872096049537200 MVar for the NR method, and by 0.108236277781099 MW and 0.872099845833500 MVar for the FD method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an innovative web application leveraging the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) to revolutionize financial analysis. As a cornerstone of modern financial theory, CAPM offers a systematic framework for managing portfolio risk and predicting expected returns. In addition to harnessing CAPM principles, the presented web application integrates advanced functionalities tailored to the intricate demands of academics, analysts, and financial researchers. This research endeavor unveils a cutting-edge web application that harnesses the power of CAPM for exhaustive financial analysis and portfolio optimization. Developed with Plotly and Streamlit, the application provides users with an intuitive and immersive platform to assess the performance of individual stocks about the S&P 500 index. Central to its functionality is the capability to explore historical stock data, unveiling temporal trends and correlations, facilitated by seamless data retrieval and visualization. Furthermore, the application facilitates equitable performance evaluations by standardizing stock prices, thereby offering a uniform scale for evaluating asset volatility and growth. This tool represents a significant leap forward in financial analysis, empowering users with more strategic investment insights and fostering a profound comprehension of market dynamics by seamlessly integrating traditional financial models with state-of-the-art web technologies. Through the utilization of the online application and CAPM, the study endeavors to prognosticate Return on Investment (ROI) and Risk of Investment (Beta) for various equities linked to the S&P 500, thereby facilitating informed decision-making and optimized portfolio management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that is typically characterized by a range of motor dysfunctions, and its impact extends beyond physical abnormalities into emotional well-being and cognitive symptoms. The loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) leads to an array of dysfunctions in the functioning of the basal ganglia (BG) circuitry that manifests into PD. While active research is being carried out to find the root cause of SNc cell death, various therapeutic techniques are used to manage the symptoms of PD. The most common approach in managing the symptoms is replenishing the lost dopamine in the form of taking dopaminergic medications such as levodopa, despite its long-term complications. Another commonly used intervention for PD is deep brain stimulation (DBS). DBS is most commonly used when levodopa medication efficacy is reduced, and, in combination with levodopa medication, it helps reduce the required dosage of medication, prolonging the therapeutic effect. DBS is also a first choice option when motor complications such as dyskinesia emerge as a side effect of medication. Several studies have also reported that though DBS is found to be effective in suppressing severe motor symptoms such as tremors and rigidity, it has an adverse effect on cognitive capabilities. Henceforth, it is important to understand the exact mechanism of DBS in alleviating motor symptoms. A computational model of DBS stimulation for motor symptoms will offer great insights into understanding the mechanisms underlying DBS, and, along this line, in our current study, we modeled a cortico-basal ganglia circuitry of arm reaching, where we simulated healthy control (HC) and PD symptoms as well as the DBS effect on PD tremor and bradykinesia. Our modeling results reveal that PD tremors are more correlated with the theta band, while bradykinesia is more correlated with the beta band of the frequency spectrum of the local field potential (LFP) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons. With a DBS current of 220 pA, 130 Hz, and a 100 microsecond pulse-width, we could found the maximum therapeutic effect for the pathological dynamics simulated using our model using a set of parameter values. However, the exact DBS characteristics vary from patient to patient, and this can be further studied by exploring the model parameter space. This model can be extended to study different DBS targets and accommodate cognitive dynamics in the future to study the impact of DBS on cognitive symptoms and thereby optimize the parameters to produce optimal performance effects across modalities. Combining DBS with rehabilitation is another frontier where DBS can reduce symptoms such as tremors and rigidity, enabling patients to participate in their therapy. With DBS providing instant relief to patients, a combination of DBS and rehabilitation can enhance neural plasticity. One of the key motivations behind combining DBS with rehabilitation is to expect comparable results in motor performance even with milder DBS currents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite substantial progress in investigating its psychophysical complexity, tinnitus remains a scientific and clinical enigma. The present study, through an ecological and multidisciplinary approach, aims to identify associations between electroencephalographic (EEG) and psycho-audiological variables. Methods: EEG beta activity, often related to stress and anxiety, was acquired from 12 tinnitus patients (TIN group) and 7 controls (CONT group) during an audio cognitive task and at rest. We also investigated psychological (SCL-90-R; STAI-Y; BFI-10) and audiological (THI; TQ12-I; Hyperacusis) variables using non-parametric statistics to assess differences and relationships between and within groups. Results: In the TIN group, frontal beta activity positively correlated with hyperacusis, parietal activity, and trait anxiety; the latter is also associated with depression in CONT. Significant differences in paranoid ideation and openness were found between groups. Conclusions: The connection between anxiety trait, beta activity in the fronto-parietal cortices and hyperacusis provides insights into brain functioning in tinnitus patients, offering quantitative descriptions for clinicians and new multidisciplinary treatment hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a debilitating symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) characterized by paroxysmal episodes in which patients are unable to step forward. A research priority is identifying cortical changes before freezing in PD-FOG. Methods: We tested 19 patients with PD who had been assessed for FOG (n=14 with FOG and 5 without FOG). While seated, patients stepped bilaterally on pedals to progress forward through a virtual hallway while 64-channel EEG was recorded. We assessed cortical activities before and during lower limb motor blocks (LLMB), defined as a break in rhythmic pedaling, and stops, defined as movement cessation following an auditory stop cue. This task was selected because LLMB correlates with FOG severity in PD and allows recording of high-quality EEG. Patients were tested after overnight withdrawal from dopaminergic medications (“off” state) and in the “on” medications state. EEG source activities were evaluated using individual MRI and standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA). Functional connectivity was evaluated by phase lag index between seeds and pre-defined cortical regions of interest. Results: EEG source activities for LLMB vs. cued stops localized to right posterior parietal area (Brodmann area 39), lateral premotor area (Brodmann area 6), and inferior frontal gyrus (Brodmann area 47). In these areas, PD-FOG (n=14) increased alpha rhythms (8-12 Hz) before LLMB vs. typical stepping, whereas PD without FOG (n=5) decreased alpha power. Alpha rhythms were linearly correlated with LLMB severity, and the relationship became an inverted U-shape when assessing alpha rhythms as a function of percent time in LLMB in the “off” medication state. Right inferior frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area connectivity was observed before LLMB in the beta band (13-30 Hz). This same pattern of connectivity was seen before stops. Dopaminergic medication improved FOG and led to less alpha synchronization and increased functional connections between frontal and parietal areas. Conclusions: Right inferior parietofrontal structures are implicated in PD-FOG. The predominant changes were in the alpha rhythm, which increased before LLMB and with LLMB severity. Similar connectivity was observed for LLMB and stops between the right inferior frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area, suggesting that FOG may be a form of “unintended stopping.” These findings may inform approaches to neurorehabilitation of PD-FOG.

The sympathetic nervous system fight-or-flight response is characterized by a rapid increase in heart rate, which is mediated by an increase in the spontaneous action potential (AP) firing rate of pacemaker cells in the sinoatrial node. Sympathetic neurons stimulate sinoatrial myocytes (SAMs) by activating β adrenergic receptors (βARs) and increasing cAMP. The funny current (If) is among the cAMP-sensitive currents in SAMs. If is critical for pacemaker activity, however, its role in the fight-or-flight response remains controversial. In this study, we used AP waveform analysis, machine learning, and dynamic clamp experiments in acutely isolated SAMs from mice to quantitatively define the AP waveform changes and role of If in the fight-or-flight increase in AP firing rate. We found that while βAR stimulation significantly altered nearly all AP waveform parameters, the increase in firing rate was only correlated with changes in a subset of parameters (diastolic duration, late AP duration, and diastolic depolarization rate). Dynamic clamp injection of the βAR-sensitive component of If showed that it accounts for ∼41% of the fight-or-flight increase in AP firing rate and 60% of the decrease in the interval between APs. Thus, If is an essential contributor to the fight-or-flight increase in heart rate.

Abstract The prevalence of electronic screens in modern society has significantly increased our exposure to high-energy blue and violet light wavelengths. Accumulating evidence links this exposure to adverse visual and cognitive effects and sleep disturbances. To mitigate these effects, the optical industry has introduced a variety of filtering glasses. However, the scientific validation of these glasses has often been based on subjective reports and a narrow range of objective measures, casting doubt on their true efficacy. In this study, we used electroencephalography (EEG) to record brain wave activity to evaluate the effects of glasses that filter multiple wavelengths (blue, violet, indigo, and green) on human brain activity. Our results demonstrate that wearing these multi-colour light filtering glasses significantly reduces beta wave power (13–30 Hz) compared to control or no glasses. Prior research has associated a reduction in beta power with the calming of heightened mental states, such as anxiety. As such, our results suggest that wearing glasses such as the ones used in this study may also positively change mental states, for instance, by promoting relaxation. This investigation is innovative in applying neuroimaging techniques to confirm that light-filtering glasses can induce measurable changes in brain activity.

For decades, conventional wisdom maintained that binary 0–1 Bernoulli random variables cannot contain extra-binomial variation. Taking an unorthodox stance, Hilbe actively disagreed, especially for correlated observation instances, arguing that the universally adopted diagnostic Pearson or deviance dispersion statistics are insensitive to a variance anomaly in a binary context, and hence simply fail to detect it. However, having the intuition and insight to sense the existence of this departure from standard mathematical statistical theory, but being unable to effectively isolate it, he classified this particular over-/under-dispersion phenomenon as implicit. This paper explicitly exposes his hidden quantity by demonstrating that the variance in/deflation it represents occurs in an underlying predicted beta random variable whose real number values are rounded to their nearest integers to convert to a Bernoulli random variable, with this discretization masking any materialized extra-Bernoulli variation. In doing so, asymptotics linking the beta-binomial and Bernoulli distributions show another conventional wisdom misconception, namely a mislabeling substitution involving the quasi-Bernoulli random variable; this undeniably is not a quasi-likelihood situation. A public bell pepper disease dataset exhibiting conspicuous spatial autocorrelation furnishes empirical examples illustrating various features of this advocated proposition.

ObjectivesA core assumption of meditation training is that cognitive capacities developed during formal practice will transfer to other contexts or activities as expertise develops over time. This implies that meditation training might influence domain-general neurocognitive systems, the spontaneous activity of which should be reflected in the dynamics of the resting brain. Previous research has demonstrated that 3 months of meditation training led to reductions in EEG beta band power during mindfulness of breathing practice. The current study extends these findings to ask whether concomitant shifts in power are observed during 2 min of eyes closed rest, when participants are not explicitly engaged in formal meditation.MethodsExperienced meditation practitioners were randomly assigned to practice 3 months of focused attention meditation in a residential retreat, or to serve as waitlist controls. The waitlist controls later completed their own 3-month retreat. Permutation-based cluster analysis of 88-channel resting EEG data was used to test for spectral changes in spontaneous brain activity over the course of the retreats.ResultsLongitudinal reductions in EEG power in the beta frequency range were identified and replicated across the two independent training periods. Less robust reductions were also observed in the high alpha frequency range, and in individual peak alpha frequency. These changes closely mirror those previously observed during formal mindfulness of breathing meditation practice.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the neurocognitive effects of meditation training can extend beyond the bounds of formal practice, influencing the spontaneous activity of the resting brain. Rather than serving as an invariant baseline, resting states might carry meaningful training-related effects, blurring the line between state and trait change.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-022-01974-9.

SUMMARY: Sugar beet and its wild relatives share a base chromosome number of nine and similar chromosome morphologies. Yet, interspecific breeding is impeded by chromosome and sequence divergence that is still not fully understood. Since repetitive DNAs are among the fastest evolving parts of the genome, we investigated, if repeatome innovations and losses are linked to chromosomal differentiation and speciation. We traced genome and chromosome‐wide evolution across 13 beet species comprising all sections of the genera Beta and Patellifolia. For this, we combined short and long read sequencing, flow cytometry, and cytogenetics to build a comprehensive framework that spans the complete scale from DNA to chromosome to genome. Genome sizes and repeat profiles reflect the separation into three gene pools with contrasting evolutionary patterns. Among all repeats, satellite DNAs harbor most genomic variability, leading to fundamentally different centromere architectures, ranging from chromosomal uniformity in Beta and Patellifolia to the formation of patchwork chromosomes in Corollinae/Nanae. We show that repetitive DNAs are causal for the genome expansions and contractions across the beet genera, providing insights into the genomic underpinnings of beet speciation. Satellite DNAs in particular vary considerably between beet genomes, leading to the evolution of distinct chromosomal setups in the three gene pools, likely contributing to the barriers in beet breeding. Thus, with their isokaryotypic chromosome sets, beet genomes present an ideal system for studying the link between repeats, genomic variability, and chromosomal differentiation and provide a theoretical fundament for understanding barriers in any crop breeding effort. Significance Statement: Sugar beet and its wild relatives, despite sharing the same base chromosome number and similar chromosome morphologies, exhibit genetic barriers impeding crossbreeding. We show that beet speciation and the separation into distinct beet gene pools is associated with unique chromosome setups, characterized by the specific presence and distribution of satellite DNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 resulted in the emergence of several variants, including Alpha, Alpha + E484K, Beta, and Omicron. Our research integrated the study of eukaryotic translation factors and fundamental components in general protein synthesis with the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccination status. Utilizing statistical methods, we successfully differentiated between variants in infected individuals and, to a lesser extent, between vaccinated and non-vaccinated infected individuals, relying on the expression profiles of translation factors. Additionally, our investigation identified common causal relationships among the translation factors, shedding light on the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 variants and the host's translation machinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, conventional wisdom maintained that binary 0–1 Bernoulli random variables cannot contain extra-binomial variation. Taking an unorthodox stance, Hilbe actively disagreed, especially for correlated observation instances, arguing that the universally adopted diagnostic Pearson or deviance dispersion statistics are insensitive to a variance anomaly in a binary context, and hence simply fail to detect it. However, having the intuition and insight to sense the existence of this departure from standard mathematical statistical theory, but being unable to effectively isolate it, he classified this particular over-/under-dispersion phenomenon as implicit. This paper explicitly exposes his hidden quantity by demonstrating that the variance in/deflation it represents occurs in an underlying predicted beta random variable whose real number values are rounded to their nearest integers to convert to a Bernoulli random variable, with this discretization masking any materialized extra-Bernoulli variation. In doing so, asymptotics linking the beta-binomial and Bernoulli distributions show another conventional wisdom misconception, namely a mislabeling substitution involving the quasi-Bernoulli random variable; this undeniably is not a quasi-likelihood situation. A public bell pepper disease dataset exhibiting conspicuous spatial autocorrelation furnishes empirical examples illustrating various features of this advocated proposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the S&P 500 to investigate whether companies with a good ESG score benefit from a lower cost of capital. Using Bloomberg's financial data and MSCI's ESG score for 498 companies, we calculated the measures of descriptive statistics, finding that companies with better ESG ratings enjoy both a lower cost of equity and a lower cost of debt. However, their WACC shows no improvement with a higher ESG score. Companies with a poor ESG rating have a lower WACC due to the higher proportion of debt capital, coupled with a higher cost of debt, compared to the cost of equity capital. Calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient, we found a slightly negative linear relationship between the ESG score and the beta factor, and between the ESG score and the cost of debt. No linear relationship was found between the WACC and the ESG score. Finally, linear regression analysis shows a negative and significant effect of the ESG score on the root beta factor. This research indicates that companies with better ESG scores benefit from lower cost of equity and debt. Our results may encourage companies to operate more sustainably to reduce their cost of capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ELSS has evolved as a popular investment option in India for people seeking both tax savings and possible capital growth. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive comparative assessment of five distinct ELSS offered by mutual funds, with an emphasis on their performance in comparison to the NIFTY 50 Index, a benchmark representing the performance of the top 50 firms listed on India’s NSE. The study digs into a number of crucial aspects, including as historical returns, risk measures, portfolio diversification, expense ratios, and tax benefits, to assess the viability of each ELSS for investors looking to maximize their tax-saving investments while obtaining high returns. We also look at the performance of these funds to gauge their diversification and adherence to market trends. The findings of this study will assist investors in selecting ELSS funds for their investment portfolios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]