Search

Motivation Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technique enables the transcriptome profiling of hundreds to ten thousands of cells at the unprecedented individual level and provides new insights to study cell heterogeneity. However, its advantages are hampered by dropout events. To address this problem, we propose a Blockwise Accelerated Non-negative Matrix Factorization framework with Structural network constraints (BANMF-S) to impute those technical zeros. Results BANMF-S constructs a gene-gene similarity network to integrate prior information from the external PPI network by the Triadic Closure Principle and a cell-cell similarity network to capture the neighborhood structure and temporal information through a Minimum-Spanning Tree. By collaboratively employing these two networks as regularizations, BANMF-S encourages the coherence of similar gene and cell pairs in the latent space, enhancing the potential to recover the underlying features. Besides, BANMF-S adopts a blocklization strategy to solve the traditional NMF problem through distributed Stochastic Gradient Descent method in a parallel way to accelerate the optimization. Numerical experiments on simulations and real datasets verify that BANMF-S can improve the accuracy of downstream clustering and pseudo-trajectory inference, and its performance is superior to seven state-of-the-art algorithms. Availability All data used in this work are downloaded from publicly available data sources, and their corresponding accession numbers or source URLs are provided in Supplementary File Section 5.1 Dataset Information. The source codes are publicly available in Github repository https://github.com/jiayingzhao/BANMF-S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inference of gene regulatory network (GRN) from gene expression profiles has been a central problem in systems biology and bioinformatics in the past decades. The tremendous emergency of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data brings new opportunities and challenges for GRN inference: the extensive dropouts and complicated noise structure may also degrade the performance of contemporary gene regulatory models. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop more accurate methods for gene regulatory network inference in single-cell data while considering the noise structure at the same time. In this paper, we extend the traditional structural equation modeling (SEM) framework by considering a flexible noise modeling strategy, namely we use the Gaussian mixtures to approximate the complex stochastic nature of a biological system, since the Gaussian mixture framework can be arguably served as a universal approximation for any continuous distributions. The proposed non-Gaussian SEM framework is called NG-SEM, which can be optimized by iteratively performing Expectation-Maximization algorithm and weighted least-squares method. Moreover, the Akaike Information Criteria is adopted to select the number of components of the Gaussian mixture. To probe the accuracy and stability of our proposed method, we design a comprehensive variate of control experiments to systematically investigate the performance of NG-SEM under various conditions, including simulations and real biological data sets. Results on synthetic data demonstrate that this strategy can improve the performance of traditional Gaussian SEM model and results on real biological data sets verify that NG-SEM outperforms other five state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Diverting lower urgency ED presentations to more suitable healthcare is a key goal of several healthcare systems. During the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020, there was a substantial drop in ED presentations in New South Wales (NSW), potentially because of lower risk of illness and injury through social restrictions, or ED avoidance for lower urgent care. The present study aimed to better understand the impact of social restrictions during the pandemic on ED presentations, to inform potential shifts to alternative modes of care in emergency medicine. Methods: We conducted a quasi‐experimental study of public ED presentations in NSW. We compared changes in weekly ED presentation counts by urgency, during and after the period of tightest social restrictions in contrast to the baseline period. Expected weekly counts were estimated using segmented quasi‐Poisson regression, accounting for age and seasonality. Results: Lower urgency presentations fell more than mid‐high urgency presentations, both during and after the period of tightest social restrictions. Lower urgency presentations reduced 30.9% compared to the baseline period during tightest restrictions, in contrast to 20.9% reduction for mid‐high urgency presentations. Lower urgency presentations remained 14.4% lower after the tightest restrictions compared to the baseline period, whereas mid‐high urgency presentations returned to usual levels. Conclusions: This finding suggests that reducing lower urgency ED presentation beyond the COVID‐19 pandemic maybe feasible, by supporting alternative, more appropriate sources of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When two jointly presented cues predict different outcomes, people respond faster to the conjunction/overlap of outcomes. Two explanations exist. In the joint account, people prioritize conjunction. In the serial account, people process cues serially and incidentally respond faster to conjunction. We tested these accounts in three experiments using novel web based attention-tracking tools. Participants learned colour-location associations where colorus predicted target locations (Experiment 1). Afterward, two cues appeared jointly and targets followed randomly. Exploratory data showed participants initially prioritized locations consistent with the conjunction, shifting later. Experiment 2 presented complex color-category associations during exposure. Upon seeing joint cues, participants' responses indicated both serial and joint processing. Experiment 3, with imperfect cue-outcome associations during exposure, surprisingly showed robust conjunctive predictions, likely because people expected exceptions to their predictions. Overall, strong learning led to spontaneous conjunctive predictions, but there were quick shifts to alternatives like serial processing when people were not expecting exceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a gold nanoparticles/graphene aerogels (AuNPs/GAs) modified electrochemical biosensor with catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) and Y-shaped DNA nanostructure dual-signal amplification approaches for ultrasensitive microRNA-21 (miR-21) detection was successfully constructed, which displayed an ultra-wide detection linear range from 5 fM to 50 nM, as well as a relatively low detection limit (LOD) of 14.70 aM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the sensing strategy had excellent specificity among highly homologous miRNA family members and exhibited satisfactory analytical performance for miRNA detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We argue that i-frame interventions can and do increase support for systemic reforms, and s-frame interventions should be pursued in parallel to address key societal issues. Without accompanying i-frame interventions, s-frame interventions can fail. We offer an operant conditioning framework to generate positive spillover effects. Behavioral scientists should develop i-frame interventions that enhance, rather than compete with, s-frame interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A pattern-based colorimetric sensor array chip for the identification of typical gas mixtures - Baijiu aroma was constructed. • Nanomaterials can adsorb gas molecules and enhance the reaction of trace gases with the sensor array. • Pattern recognition-based data analysis proved to be perfectly distinguishable between 16 different brands of commercial Baijiu. Gas mixtures are comprised of numerous complex components, making the accurate identification a continuing challenge due to the significant limitations of existing detection methods. Herein, we developed a low-cost and sensitive pattern-based colorimetric sensor array chip for the identification of typical gas mixtures - Baijiu aroma. Specifically, three nanomaterials (AuNPs, MoS 2 and ZIF-8) were prepared to adsorb gas molecules and enhance the reaction of trace gases with sensor arrays. The colorimetric sensor array chip took only 5 min to complete the recognition of Baijiu aromas and effectively avoided recognition errors caused by sommelier olfactory fatigue. Notably, the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed no confusion or errors in the results of 80 tests across the five trials involving 16 commercial Baijius. Even fake Baijius with similar ingredients could be easily identified, demonstrating the excellent analytical capabilities of the system in Baijiu identification and its significant potential for quality control of Baijius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Anxiety-like behavior and E/I imbalance were found at the early stage of 5xFAD mice. • Inhibitory synaptic proteins were reduced in 5xFAD mice. • PV+ and SST+ interneurons were lost of in the ventral hippocampus in 5XFAD mice. • Inhibiting pyramidal neurons or activating the PV+ or SST+ neurons in the vCA1 of 5xFAD mice can ameliorated anxiety-like behaviors and normalize E/I imbalance. Neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety and depression often appear early in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and a comorbid, anxiety-like phenotype is also found in rodents with AD. However, the underlying mechanisms behind these conditions and potential therapeutic targets to treat them remain unclear. In this study, we used 5 familial AD mutations (5xFAD) mice that developed early amyloid β-amyloid deposition and related synaptic loss and memory deficits to identify a potential mechanism behind abnormally high anxiety levels observed in these subjects. We observed anxiety-like behavior in mice that had an excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalance in the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) of 5xFAD mice. Both the number of parvalbumin-positive (PV+) and somatostatin-positive (SST+) cells decreased in the ventral hippocampus of the subject 5xFAD mice, however, no reductions were observed in calretinin-positive cells. We found that selectively inhibiting vHPC pyramidal cells via hM4Di expression normalized anxiety-like behaviors and E/I balance in 5xFAD mice. Finally, we found that the ventral hippocampus SST+ or PV+ neurons were activated through selectively expressed hM3Dq, which ameliorated anxiety-like behaviors and the synaptic E/I imbalance of vCA1 in 5xFAD mice. These results determined that anxiety-like behaviors accompanied by hippocampal synaptic E/I imbalance in 5xFAD mice are due to the loss of SST+ and PV+ interneurons in the vHPC. This provides a better understanding of high anxiety levels observed in patients with early-stage AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a framework that outlines several predominant cognitive biases of climate change, identifies potential causes, and proposes debiasing tools, with the ultimate goal of depolarizing climate beliefs and promoting actions to mitigate climate change. Zhao and Luo propose a framework that outlines several predominant cognitive biases of climate change, identifies potential causes, and proposes debiasing tools, with the ultimate goal of depolarizing climate beliefs and promoting actions to mitigate climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first Science Meets Parliament event in Canada was held in November 2018 in Ottawa, where twenty-eight Tier II Canada Research Chairs (a specific class of Canadian university professor acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field) from diverse disciplines met with forty-three Members of Canadian Parliament and Senators. The main goal of this event was to facilitate communication between these two key pillars of the society, to promote mutual understanding of the nature of their respective work, roles, and responsibilities, and to build long-term relationships. Here, we, representatives of the first cohort of scientists to participate in the program, summarize our experiences and lessons learned from this event, as well as our assessment of the benefits of attending this event for scientists, policy decision-makers, and institutions. Furthermore, we provide suggestions for similar future events in Canada and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is intricately involved in modulating the inflammatory response in acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Nevertheless, the myeloid PTEN governing Hippo-YAP pathway mediated oxidative stress and inflammation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI remains to be elucidate. The floxed Pten (PtenFL/FL) and myeloid-specific Pten knockout (PtenM−KO) mice were intratracheal instill LPS (5 mg/kg) to establish ALI, then Yap siRNA mix with the mannose-conjugated polymers was used to knockdown endogenous macrophage YAP in some PtenM−KO mice before LPS challenged. The bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) from PtenFL/FL and PtenM−KO mice were obtained, and BMMs were transfected with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated glycogen synthase kinase 3 Beta (GSK3β) knockout (KO) or Yes-associated protein (YAP) KO vector subjected to LPS (100 ng/ml) challenged or then cocultured with MLE12 cells. Here, our findings demonstrate that myeloid-specific PTEN deficiency exerts a protective against LPS-induced oxidative stress and inflammation dysregulated in ALI model. Moreover, ablation of the PTEN-YAP axis in macrophages results in reduced nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (NRF2) expression, a decrease in antioxidant gene expression, augmented levels of free radicals, lipid and protein peroxidation, heightened generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ultimately leading to increased apoptosis in MLE12 cells. Mechanistically, it is noteworthy that the deletion of myeloid PTEN promotes YAP translocation and regulates NRF2 expression, alleviating LPS-induced ALI via the inhibition of GSK3β and MST1 binding. Our study underscores the crucial role of the myeloid PTEN-YAP-NRF2 axis in governing oxidative stress and inflammation dysregulated in ALI, indicating its potential as a therapeutic target for ALI. [Display omitted] • Myeloid Pten deficiency activate YAP translocation protect against in LPS-induced ALI. • The modulation of the Hippo-YAP pathway by PTEN necessitates the interaction between GSK3β and MST1. • Macrophage PTEN-YAP axis modulates the NRF2 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A dual-mode cytosensor was fabricated for ultrasensitive detection of CTCs. • DNA walker synergized MOF-on-MOF nanozyme exhibited charming signal amplification. • The peroxidase activity of MOF@Pt@MOF was significantly better than Fe-MOF. • The designed cytosensor realized sensitivity of 5 cells/mL CTCs detection. • The practicality of the cytosensor was validated. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) monitoring as a means of liquid biopsy can be effective in aiding the diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and prognosis of cancer. Herein, we fabricated a dual-mode cytosensor for ultrasensitive detection of CTCs via DNA walker powered by a DNA circuit and MOF-on-MOF nanozyme. The anti-EpCAM aptamer was hybridized with complementary DNA (cDNA) and modified onto the magnetic nanospheres (MNs). In the presence of CTCs, cDNA strand can be released by cell-aptamer specific recognition and was separated through a magnet to trigger the subsequent DNA walking process. In the DNA walking process, the cDNA strand could trigger cascade toehold-mediated DNA displacement reactions by fuel nanozyme-functionalized DNA strands and recycle to further accelerate the DNA circuit thus amplifying the output signal. What's more, since the MOF-on-MOF nanozyme had good peroxidase activity, electrochemical and colorimetric dual-mode signal output can be achieved in the presence of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) for CTCs determination through an ITO chamber. As a proof of concept, by virtue of the outstanding synergistic signal amplification of DNA walker and MOF-on-MOF nanozymes, the designed dual-mode cytosensor exhibited a comprehensive linear range of 5 to 5 × 105 cells/mL and a sensitivity of 5 cells/mL and performed well in complex environment. This work provided important references for further investigations on CTC-related diagnosis and individualized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is critical to detect cellular secreted hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) in situ for clinical diagnosis, biomedical research and cancer treatment. Herein, the electrochemical determination of H 2 O 2 released by cancer cells grown on the surface of carbon cloth supported NiCo-DH/AuPt micro-nano arrays to elevate the capability of in situ signal collection was achieved. NiCo-DH/AuPt @CC was successfully prepared using the cobalt based metal–organic framework (Co-MOF) as a presoma after in situ etching growth onto the CC and electrodeposition of gold and platinum nanoparticles (AuPt NPs). Under the optimal conditions, owing to the excellent catalytic efficiency of NiCo-DH and AuPt NPs, the designed sensor performs a relatively wider linear range to H 2 O 2 concentration from 10 μM to 22.08 mM, and the limit of detection is 0.145 μM. Accordingly, the as-prepared sensing system was also applied to determine H 2 O 2 secreted by living cells which grown on the surface of NiCo-DH/AuPt @CC with satisfactory consequences. In possession of the superior sensitivity, selectivity, reproducibility, the NiCo-DH/AuPt @CC is a luciferous platform for the real time detection of H 2 O 2 in the area of biomedical and clinical diagnosis. Image 1 • NiCo-DH's unique hollow triangular column structure was benefit for the adhesion of living cancer cells. • The detection distance between materials and H 2 O 2 could be shorten by cells directly adherent growth on the electrode. • The designed H 2 O 2 sensor exhibits a relatively wider linear current response with a low detection limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has demonstrated the cognitive and mental health benefits of learning new skills and content across the life span, enhancing knowledge as well as cognitive performance. We argue that the importance of this learning – which is not available equally to all – goes beyond the cognitive and mental health benefits. Learning is important for not only the maintenance, but also enhancement of functional independence in a dynamic environment, such as changes induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and technological advances. Learning difficult skills and content is a privilege because the opportunities for learning are neither guaranteed nor universal, and it requires personal and social engagement, time, motivation, and societal support. This paper highlights the importance of considering learning new skills and content as an important privilege across the life span and argues that this privilege becomes increasingly exclusionary as individuals age, when social and infrastructural support for learning decreases. We highlight research on the potential positive and negative impacts of retirement, when accessibility to learning opportunities may vary, and research on learning barriers due to low expectations and limited resources from poverty. We conclude that addressing barriers to lifelong learning would advance theories on life span cognitive development and raise the bar for successful aging. In doing so, our society might imagine and achieve previously unrealized gains in life span cognitive development, through late adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cognitive system readily detects statistical relationships where a cue predicts a specific outcome. What is less known is how the mind generates predictions when multiple cues are presented simultaneously that predict different outcomes. Here, we examine the nature of such predictions. Specifically, we examine whether the presence of joint cues leads to conjunctive predictions that represent the overlap between the outcomes associated with the cues, or disjunctive predictions that represent the total possible outcomes. To test this, we used a visual search paradigm where participants first viewed a cue and then searched for a target in an array. Each cue predicted where the target would appear in one of the four quadrants in the array. After learning the cue–location associations, two cues were presented simultaneously, and participants searched for the target where the target now appeared in each quadrant with equal probability. We found that participants were faster to find the target in conjunctive locations over disjunctive ones upon seeing two cues (Experiment 1). This attentional prioritization was not solely driven by the smaller spatial scope of conjunctive locations (Experiment 2), and was present when two cues were presented in two feature dimensions in a single object (Experiment 3). These results were consistent with a conjunctive account, where the presence of joint cues led to a conjunctive prediction that represented the overlap of the different outcomes associated with each cue. The study sheds a new light on how the mind makes predictions in novel contexts based on existing knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor for microRNA-155 (miR-155) detection based on the powerful catalytic and continuous walking signal amplification capability of 3D DNAzyme walker and the gold nanoparticles/graphene aerogels carbon fiber paper-based (AuNPs/GAs/CFP) flexible sensing electrode with excellent electrochemical performance was successfully constructed. In a proof-of-concept experiment, in the presence of miR-155, the DNAzyme strands anchored on the streptavidin-modified magnetic beads (MBs) silenced by locked strands can be activated, thus generating the walking arm of the 3D DNAzyme walker. Meanwhile, the substrate strands modified with Fe-MOF-NH 2 nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the surface of MBs and served as tracks of the 3D DNAzyme walker. Once the DNAzyme strand was activated, the catalytic site in the substrate strand can be cleaved in the presence of Mn2+, and a large number of stumps modified with Fe-MOF-NH 2 nanoparticles (output@Fe-MOF-NH 2) will be generated during the continuous and efficient walking cleavage of the DNAzyme walker, driving the recognition-catalysis-release cycle process for signal amplification. Immediately afterwards, the signal was read out through the base complementary pairing of capture probe (PS) immobilized on the surface of the paper-based flexible sensing electrode AuNPs/GAs/CFP and signal probes output@Fe-MOF-NH 2 , thus achieving the quantitative detection of miR-155. Under optimal experimental conditions, the designed 3D DNAzyme walker-based biosensor exhibited a relatively lower limit of detection (LOD) of 56.23 aM, with a linear range of 100 aM to 100 nM. Overall, the proposed 3D DNAzyme walker biosensor exhibited good interference and reproducibility, demonstrating a promising future in the field of clinical disease diagnosis. [Display omitted] • An electrochemical biosensor based on AuNPs/GAs/CFP electrode for miR-155 detection was successfully constructed. • Target-responsive 3D DNAzyme walker provided an important guarantee for ultrasensitive detection of miR-155. • The designed 3D DNAzyme walker-based biosensor exhibited a relatively lower limit of detection (LOD) of 56.23 aM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 4000 carsharing members were surveyed to understand motivations of one-way and two-way carsharing. • One-way carsharing is motivated by greater convenience. Two-way carsharing is motivated by efficiency and savings. • One-way carsharing members are younger, have higher incomes but self-report greater financial stress. • One-way members own 3× more vehicles and drive 3× more. They also use shared cars twice as often as two-way members. • The rapid recent rise in carsharing has been motivated by a lifestyle that values the convenience of one-way carsharing. Carshare membership in North America has grown approximately 25% per year over the past decade. Some have attributed this to pro-environmental values and low-impact lifestyles of millennials, the primary users of carsharing. Many municipal governments have adopted this belief and support carsharing through various accommodations and subsidies. Results from a survey in Vancouver, Canada (which has the highest level of carsharing in North America) showed that one-way and two-way carsharing members have different motivations for carsharing and travel patterns. One-way members, primarily millennials, self-report that they carshare for convenience, using shared vehicles twice as frequently and private vehicles three times as frequently as two-way members. Two-way members choose carsharing for financial savings and a more efficient lifestyle. They tend to walk and bike more often than one-way members and the overall Vancouver population. These trip mode and frequency differences are consistent across age, gender, income, and geography. Perhaps as a consequence of the above, we also found that while one-way members are on average younger and wealthier, two-way members self-report as having more affordable lifestyles. These findings point to two-way carsharing members adhering to more efficient, sustainable lifestyles. Municipalities may consider these differences in motivations and trip patterns between one-way and two-way members of relevance in their carsharing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cognitive system can flexibly update the representations of objects upon changes in the physical properties of the objects. Can the changes ripple to the representations of other associated objects that are not directly observable? We propose that statistical learning allows changes in one object to be automatically transferred to related objects. Observers viewed a temporal sequence with pairs of colored circles where the first circle always preceded the second. When the first circle increased or decreased in size, the second circle was judged to be larger (or smaller), suggesting that changes were automatically transferred to the second object (Experiment 1). When the second circle changed in size, the first circle was unaffected (Experiment 2). The strength of transfer seemed to depend on the conditional probability between objects (Experiment 3). The findings were replicated using pairs of faces that changed in expressions (Experiments 4&5). Importantly, no observer was explicitly aware of the pairs. Thus, statistical learning enables automatic and implicit updating of object representations upon changes to temporally associated objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visual system is remarkably efficient at extracting summary statistics from the environment. Yet at any given time, the environment consists of many groups of objects distributed over space. Thus, the challenge for the visual system is to summarize over multiple groups. The current study investigates the capacity and computational efficiency of ensemble perception, in the context of perceiving mean sizes of multiple spatially intermixed groups of circles. In a series of experiments, participants viewed an array of one to eight sets of circles. Each set contained four circles in the same colors, but with different sizes. Participants estimated the mean size of a probed set. The set that would be probed was either known before onset of the array (pre-cue condition) or afterwards (post-cue condition). By comparing estimation error in the pre-cue and post-cue conditions, we found that participants could reliably estimate mean sizes for approximately two sets (Experiment 1). Importantly, this capacity was robust against attention bias toward individual objects in the sets (Experiment 2). Varying the exposure time to stimulus arrays did not increase the capacity limit, suggesting that ensemble perception could be limited by an internal resource constraint, rather than the speed of information encoding (Experiment 3). Moreover, we found that the visual system could not encode and hold more individual items than ensemble representations (Experiment 4). Taken together, these results suggest that ensemble perception provides an efficient way of information processing but with constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bletilla strata polysaccharide (BSP) has been attracting increasing attention because of its numerous bioactive components. In this study, BSP was obtained by water-extraction and ethanol-precipitation, and its structure and synergistic interaction with xanthan gum (XG) were then investigated. BSP was identified as a highly linear polymer with a weight average molecular weight (M w) of 323.7 kDa, whose ratio of mannose to glucose was 2.4:1.0. BSP had the backbone of →4)-β-Man p -(1→, →4)-β-Glc p -(1→, as well as a small amount of →3)-β-Man p -(1→, terminated by T-Man p residues. Moreover, it was also substituted by a small number of O -acetyl groups at C-3 position of →4)-Man p -(1→ residue. Despite the poor gelling ability of BSP itself, it could form a firm and thixotropic gel when mixing with xanthan gum (XG). Upon cooling, irrespective of the mixing ratio, all BSP/XG mixtures exhibited a steep increase in G′ at ∼60 °C, which was defined as the onset temperature of the synergistic gelation. On heating, all gels melted at 60 °C, without detectable thermal hysteresis. The most pronounced synergistic interaction occurred at BSP/XG ratio = 5:5. Overall, this study provides new knowledge about the structure of BSP and its synergistic interaction with XG. Especially, the thixotropy of the mixed gels may find usefulness in formulating easy-to-swallowing food products. [Display omitted] • A novel polysaccharide (BSP) obtained from Bletilla striata was a sort of glucomannan. • The structural characterization of BSP was performed by NMR. • BSP can form gel with xanthan gum through synergistic interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel naturally sourced polysaccharides have attracted increasing attention in food areas, particularly in the preparation of food gels for people with dysphagia. To develop dysphagia food, understanding the properties of these food gels is of crucial importance. Herein, rheological properties, FTIR, XRD and thermal stabilities of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP) mixed with xanthan gum (XG) in different ratios (from 9:1 to 5:5) were investigated. The results of rheology and FTIR showed that the DOP and XG synergistically formed gel by hydrogen bonding and the sol-gel transition temperatures were not affected by the ratio of DOP/XG. Moreover, values of hardness, viscosity, and elastic moduli (G′) were up to the highest when DOP/XG was 7:3. However, rheological results (viscosity, G′) of all the mixtures at 37.0 °C were significantly lower than that at 25.0 °C, indicating the mixture can be applicated in products with the property of low-viscosity in the mouth, which is favorable for consumer to swallow. The decrease of XRD intensity and thermal stability, were observed with high xanthan content, indicating that xanthan ratios affected the properties of mixtures. This study offers a feasible guide for the construction and development of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide-based food for people with dysphagia. [Display omitted] • Non-gelling polysaccharide from Dendrobium officinale could form gels by mixing with xanthan gum. • DOP/XG ratios and temperature affected the rheological properties of gels. • The effect of xanthan gum content on DOP/XG gels was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exotic pet trade poses a major threat to biodiversity conservation. To combat biodiversity loss, it is essential to reduce demand for exotic pets and engage people in civic actions for wildlife conservation. Although messaging has been extensively used in conservation practice, little is known about how it can influence attitudes and various types of actions pertaining to the exotic pet trade. This study examined the impact of conservation messaging in the context of exotic pet ownership and wildlife entertainment visitation as common practices of the exotic pet trade. We randomly assigned participants in the United States to one of five messaging conditions: biodiversity loss and animal abuse (M1), zoonotic disease risks (M2), illegality (M3), social disapproval (M4), and neutral biological information as a control condition (M5). We found that all conservation messages (M1–M4) significantly decreased people's favorable attitudes toward the exotic pet trade and their desire to visit wildlife entertainment. However, conservation messaging did not influence the desire for exotic pet ownership or intentions to take civic actions. Our findings highlight the potential of conservation messaging for attitude change and demand reduction for wildlife entertainment, but different approaches are necessary for promoting more effortful actions such as exotic pet ownership and civic actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visual system is remarkably efficient at extracting regularities from the environment through statistical learning. While such extraction has extensive consequences on cognition, it is unclear how statistical learning shapes the representations of the individual objects that comprise the regularities. Here we examine how statistical learning alters object representations. In three experiments, participants were exposed to either random arrays containing objects in a random order, or structured arrays containing object pairs where two objects appeared next to each other in fixed spatial or temporal configurations. After exposure, one object in each pair was briefly presented and participants judged the location or the orientation of the object without seeing the other object in the pair. We found that when an object reliably appeared next to another object in space, it was judged as being closer to the other object in space even though the other object was never presented (Experiments 1 and 2). Likewise, when an object reliably preceded another object in time, its orientation was biased toward the orientation of the other object even though the other object was never presented (Experiment 3). These results demonstrated that statistical learning fundamentally shapes how individual objects are represented in visual memory, by biasing the representation of one object toward its co-occurring partner. Importantly, participants in all experiments were not explicitly aware of the regularities. Thus, the bias in object representations was implicit. The current study reveals a novel impact of statistical learning on object representation: spatially co-occurring objects are represented as being closer in space, and temporally co-occurring objects are represented as having more similar features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental benign non-noble NiCu catalysts with well-distributed homogeneous nanoalloy structure was fabricated from layered double hydroxide for semi-hydrogenation of acetylene. Compared with monometallic Ni catalyst, the introduction of Cu enhanced ethene selectivity and decreased the deactivation rate in long-term reaction. Furthermore, to give a thorough understanding on structure dependent performance, conventional impregnation was also used to obtain bimetallic NiCu catalyst for comparison. Interestingly, imp-NiCu/MMO presented the mixture of monometallic Ni, Cu and bimetallic NiCu. Catalytic results indicated that 100% conversion was achieved at 160 °C with improved selectivity (>70%) over NiCu nanoalloy catalyst, while bimetallic NiCu catalyst with mixed structure showed both poor conversion (50%) and selectivity (65%). Enhanced activity was attributed to small particle size (3.2 nm) and high metal dispersion (31.4%). Improved selectivity and anti-coking ability were related to the alloying of Ni with Cu, which was conducive to isolate Ni atoms from one another confirmed by STEM-EDX and transfer electron from Cu to Ni certified by XPS. Additionally, superior performance was also found in semi-hydrogenations of hexyne, phenylacetylene, 1,2-diphenylethyne and ethyl phenylpropiolate over NiCu nanoalloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stroke still has a high incidence with a tremendous public health burden and it is a leading cause of mortality and disability. However, biomarkers for early diagnosis are absent and the metabolic alterations associated with ischemic stroke are not clearly understood. The objectives of this case-control study are to identify serum biomarkers and explore the metabolic alterations of ischemic stroke. Methods: Metabonomic analysis was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry and multivariate statistical analysis was employed to study 60 patients with or without ischemic stroke (30 cases and 30 controls). Results: Serum metabolic profiling identified a series of 12 metabolites with significant alterations, and the related metabolic pathways involved glycerophospholipid, sphingolipid, phospholipid, fat acid, acylcarnitine, heme, and purine metabolism. Subsequently, multiple logistic regression analyses of these metabolites showed uric acid, sphinganine and adrenoyl ethanolamide were potential biomarkers of ischemic stroke with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.941. Conclusions: These findings provide insights into the early diagnosis and potential pathophysiology of ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiplex microRNAs (miRNAs) detection is beneficial for early diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. Herein, duplex-specific nuclease (DSN) powered 3D DNA walker and quantum dots (QDs) barcodes were designed for the simultaneous detection of miRNAs in a homogeneous electrochemical sensor. In the proof-of-concept experiment, the effective active area of the as-prepared graphene aerogel-modified carbon paper (CP-GAs) electrode was ∼14.30 times larger than that of the traditional glassy carbon electrode (GCE), endowing the enhanced capability of loading more metal ions for ultrasensitive detection of miRNAs. In addition, DSN-powered target recycling and DNA walking strategy assured the sensitive detection of miRNAs. After the introduction of magnetic beads (MNs) and electrochemical double enrichment strategies, the integration of triple signal amplification methods yielded good detection results. Under optimal conditions, towards simultaneous detection of microRNA-21 (miR-21) and miRNA-155 (miR-155), a linear range of 10−16–10−7 M and a sensitivity of 10 aM (miR-21) and 2.18 aM (miR-155) were achieved, respectively. It was worth mentioning that the prepared sensor can detect miR-155 down to 0.17 aM, which was also extremely advantageous among the sensors reported so far. What's more, through verification, the prepared sensor had good selectivity and reproducibility, and exhibited good detection ability in complex serum environments, showing great potential in early clinical diagnosis and screening. [Display omitted] • Homogeneous electrochemical sensor for miRNAs simultaneous detection was designed. • DSN-powered 3D DNA walker guaranteed the detection sensitivity. • Quantum dot barcodes provided stable output signal for the constructed sensor. • The detection limits were 10 aM (miR-21) and 2.18 aM (miR-155), respectively. • The prepared sensor exhibited good detection ability in complex serum environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Fe3+-triggered multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots on–off-on fluorescent sensing platform for the ultrasensitive detection of biothiols was successfully established. [Display omitted] • A multifunctional fluorescent sensing platform which can be applied to identify and detect Fe3+ and three biothiols was designed. • N -CQDs-Fe3+ fluorescent probe exhibits lower detection limits for GSH (20.39 nM), Hcy (9.31 nM) and Cys (1.93 nM). • The constructed N -CQDs-Fe3+ fluorescent screening platform has strong anti-interference ability, good reproducibility and repeatability. Abnormal levels of biothiols in the human body are closely related to a variety of diseases, thus it is crucial for the selective detection of biothiols in the biological system. In this work, a Fe3+-triggered multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N -CQDs) on–off-on fluorescent sensing platform for the ultrasensitive detection of biothiols (GSH, Cys and Hcy) was successfully established. In detail, Fe3+ could adsorb on the surface of N -CQDs through coordination with the phenolic hydroxyl group of N -CQDs, resulting in the quenching of the fluorescence of N -CQDsdue to the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) effect from N -CQDs to Fe3+. After the addition of biothiols, there was stronger coordination between Fe3+ and biothiols than N -CQDs-Fe3+, resulting in fluorescence recovery of N -CQDs. On basis of the on–off-on principle, the N -CQDs-Fe3+ fluorescent probe was applied to determine biothiols. Under optimal parameters, the N -CQDs-Fe3+ fluorescent probe exhibited a relatively lower limit of detection (LOD) of 20.39 nM (GSH), 9.31 nM (Hcy) and 1.93 nM (Cys), respectively, which was better or comparable compared with previous reports. Further, the constructed N -CQDs-Fe3+ fluorescent sensing platform was validated with strong anti-interference ability, good reproducibility and repeatability, and also performed well in serum samples, demonstrating a promising potential in clinical diagnosis for biothiols analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of reducible Mg-Ti mixed oxides supported PdAg catalysts with tunable acidity/basicity were synthesized for selective acetylene hydrogenation, to investigate the implications of acid-base property on the nature of active component. Catalytic performance of PdAg/Mg x Ti 1− x O y varied with Mg/Ti ratio increasing as volcano curve, which corresponded well with amount of medium acid and weak basic sites. PdAg/Mg 0.5 Ti 0.5 O y exhibited >99% conversion and 83.8% selectivity at 70 °C. Enhanced activity was attributed to the promoted hydrogen-spillover effect by moderate acidic sites of Mg 0.5 Ti 0.5 O y support, which facilitated hydrogen activation/dissociation. Preferred selectivity was reasonably owing to the significant geometric effect resulting from high alloying degree of Pd-Ag, which increased the number of Pd linearly coordinated sites, and therefore facilitated the desorption of ethene. Additionally, the increased Pd electronic density caused by the electron transfer from the basic sites and Ti 3+ species of Mg 0.5 Ti 0.5 O y support also contributed to the improvement of selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual scenes contain information on both a local scale (e.g., a tree) and a global scale (e.g., a forest). The question of whether the visual system prioritizes local or global elements has been debated for over a century. Given that visual scenes often contain distinct individual objects, here we examine how regularities between individual objects prioritize local or global processing. Participants viewed Navon-like figures consisting of small local objects making up a global object, and were asked to identify either the shape of the local objects or the shape of the global object, as fast and accurately as possible. Unbeknown to the participants, local regularities (i.e., triplets) or global regularities (i.e., quadruples) were embedded among the objects. We found that the identification of the local shape was faster when individual objects reliably co-occurred immediately next to each other as triplets (local regularities, Experiment 1). This result suggested that local regularities draw attention to the local scale. Moreover, the identification of the global shape was faster when objects co-occurred at the global scale as quadruples (global regularities, Experiment 2). This result suggested that global regularities draw attention to the global scale. No participant was explicitly aware of the regularities in the experiments. The results suggest that statistical regularities can determine whether attention is directed to the individual objects or to the entire scene. The findings provide evidence that regularities guide the spatial scale of attention in the absence of explicit awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A universal 3D CFP-MXene-MoS 2 (CMM) electrochemical interface was designed. • The flexible CMM interface permitted local enrichment of biomolecules. • The CMM interface realized the aM level microRNA detection. • The practicality of CMM interface towards biomolecules monitoring was validated. Flexible sensing technology has received widespread attention in the monitoring of human physiological indicators. Thus, it is of great significance to develop a universal flexible sensing interface for early diagnosis of multi-level biomarkers. Herein, we reported a multifunctional 3D carbon fiber paper (CFP)-MXene-MoS 2 (CMM) sensing interface, which provided a flexible electrochemical biosensing platform for the ultrasensitive detection of multiple bioanalysis in biofluids. Notably, the CMM electrochemical interface was comprised of staggered carbon fibers on which the organ-like MXene-MoS 2 heterostructure covered with MoS 2 nanosheet arrays was uniformly allocated, permitting local enrichment of biomolecules for enhanced biomolecular capture efficiency, laying a solid foundation for the ultrasensitive detection of multiple biomolecules. In proof-of-concept experiments, we validated that the flexible CMM interface could be applied for ultrasensitive analyzing of quite a few biomolecules like ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), dopamine (DA) and microRNA (miRNA), with charming sensitivity and reproducibility. It was worth mentioned that an ultra-high sensitivity of 3.16 aM was acquired towards detecting microRNA. Under optimal parameters, the designed electrochemical interface worked well in complex biofluids such as human serum and urine samples. Overall, this flexible and disposable CMM interface with ultrahigh sensitivity provided insights for a more portable, accessible and valuable approach for monitoring biomolecules in clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A universal 3D CFP-MXene-MoS 2 (CMM) electrochemical interface was designed. • The flexible CMM interface permitted local enrichment of biomolecules. • The CMM interface realized the aM level microRNA detection. • The practicality of CMM interface towards biomolecules monitoring was validated. Flexible sensing technology has received widespread attention in the monitoring of human physiological indicators. Thus, it is of great significance to develop a universal flexible sensing interface for early diagnosis of multi-level biomarkers. Herein, we reported a multifunctional 3D carbon fiber paper (CFP)-MXene-MoS 2 (CMM) sensing interface, which provided a flexible electrochemical biosensing platform for the ultrasensitive detection of multiple bioanalysis in biofluids. Notably, the CMM electrochemical interface was comprised of staggered carbon fibers on which the organ-like MXene-MoS 2 heterostructure covered with MoS 2 nanosheet arrays was uniformly allocated, permitting local enrichment of biomolecules for enhanced biomolecular capture efficiency, laying a solid foundation for the ultrasensitive detection of multiple biomolecules. In proof-of-concept experiments, we validated that the flexible CMM interface could be applied for ultrasensitive analyzing of quite a few biomolecules like ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), dopamine (DA) and microRNA (miRNA), with charming sensitivity and reproducibility. It was worth mentioned that an ultra-high sensitivity of 3.16 aM was acquired towards detecting microRNA. Under optimal parameters, the designed electrochemical interface worked well in complex biofluids such as human serum and urine samples. Overall, this flexible and disposable CMM interface with ultrahigh sensitivity provided insights for a more portable, accessible and valuable approach for monitoring biomolecules in clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues against the non-cognitivist theory of vision that has been formulated in the work of Nico Orlandi. It shows that, if we understand ‘representation’ in the way Orlandi recommends, then the visual system’s response to abstract regularities must involve the formation of representations. Recent experiments show that those representations must be used by the visual system in the production of visual experiences. Their effects cannot be explained by taking them to be non-visual effects involving attention or memory. This contradicts Orlandi’s version of the non-cognitivist hypothesis, but does so while vindicating her methodological position. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Numerical information can be perceived at multiple levels (e.g., one bird, or a flock of birds). The level of input has typically been defined by explicit grouping cues, such as contours or connecting lines. Here we examine how regularities of object co-occurrences shape numerosity perception in the absence of explicit grouping cues. Participants estimated the number of colored circles in an array. We found that estimates were lower in arrays containing colors that consistently appeared next to each other across the experiment, even though participants were not explicitly aware of the color pairs (Experiments 1a and 1b). To provide support for grouping, we introduced color duplicates and found that estimates were lower in arrays with two identical colors (Experiment 2). The underestimation could not be explained by increased attention to individual objects (Experiment 3). These results suggest that statistical regularities reduce perceived numerosity consistent with a grouping mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smoking is a strong risk factor for mortality in both the developed and the developing world. However, there is still limited research to examine the impact of smoking cessation and mortality in middle-income Southeast Asian populations. Methods: We use longitudinal data from a large Thai cohort of adult Open University students residing nationwide, linked with official death records to assess the association of smoking status and mortality risks during a 7-year follow-up. The log-rank test was used to evaluate the statistical probability of differential survival according to baseline smoking status. Multivariate hazard ratios (HR) were reported for smoking status and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Results: From 2005 baseline to 2012, current smokers were more likely to die than cohort members who ceased smoking and never smokers (1.9 vs 1.3 vs 0.6 %, p < 0.05). The hazard of all-cause mortality increased with the daily amount of cigarette consumption among both current and former smokers. Cause of death analyses showed that current male smokers had a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease related mortality (HR 3.9 [95 % CI 1.8-8.1]). Former male smokers had a moderate increase in risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases compared to never smokers (HR 1.6 [95 % CI 0.7-3.4]). Current male smokers between 2005 and 2009 experienced highest subsequent mortality hazards during the period 2009-2012 compared to never smokers (HR 2.1 [95 % CI 1.4-3.4]). The higher risk of dying reduced if people quit smoking during the 2005-2009 follow-up period (HR 1.5 [95 % CI 0.7-3.3]). Risk for mortality fell even further among long-term quitters (HR 1.4 [95 % CI 0.9-2.2]). Conclusion: Among a large nationwide cohort of Thai adults, current smokers were at a significantly and substantially higher risk of all-cause mortality, especially cardiovascular-related mortality. The higher risk of dying fell if people quit smoking and the risk for mortality was even lower among long-term quitters. Promotion of smoking cessation will contribute substantially to the reduction in avoidable mortality in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environment often is stable, but some aspects may change over time. The challenge for the visual system is to discover and flexibly adapt to the changes. We examined how attention is shifted in the presence of changes in the underlying structure of the environment. In six experiments, observers viewed four simultaneous streams of objects while performing a visual search task. In the first half of each experiment, the stream in the structured location contained regularities, the shapes in the random location were randomized, and gray squares appeared in two neutral locations. In the second half, the stream in the structured or the random location may change. In the first half of all experiments, visual search was facilitated in the structured location, suggesting that attention was consistently biased toward regularities. In the second half, this bias persisted in the structured location when no change occurred (Experiment 1), when the regularities were removed (Experiment 2), or when new regularities embedded in the original or novel stimuli emerged in the previously random location (Experiments 3 and 6). However, visual search was numerically but no longer reliably faster in the structured location when the initial regularities were removed and new regularities were introduced in the previously random location (Experiment 4), or when novel random stimuli appeared in the random location (Experiment 5). This suggests that the attentional bias was weakened. Overall, the results demonstrate that the attentional bias to regularities was persistent but also sensitive to changes in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We first proposed a nucleic acid functionalized Zr-MOF paper-based sensor. • This bio-platform can simultaneously detect multiple tumor exosomal miRNAs. • The ability of CFP/GWs/Au bio-platform to detect exosomal miRNAs at aM level. • The practicability of the bio-platform in clinical sample detection was confirmed. Compared with free microRNAs (miRNAs) in blood, miRNAs in exosomes are more abundant and stable. However, simple, reliable and simultaneous detection of exosomal microRNAs remains a challenging. In this study, we proposed a disposable paper-based electrochemical strategy based on nucleic acid functionalized Zr-MOF, which is label-free and enzyme-free, and could simultaneously detect multiple tumor exosomal miRNAs. We constructed a functionalized metal–organic framework (MOF) with electroactive dyes and capped it with hairpin DNA. This proposed bio-platform and MOF can display different electrochemical signals for different target analyses by changing the structures of dye-loaded and hairpin DNA. In view of this, we skill fully designed two kinds of functional MOFs (Zr/MB and Zr/BG) and used them to simultaneously detect exosomal miRNA-155 and exosomal miRNA-21 (as proof-of-concept analysis). This robust biosensor eliminates multiple time-consuming steps associated with existing miRNAs quantification methods, such as reverse transcription and thermocycler amplification, and achieves molecular-level sensitivity to exosomal miRNA-155 (33.4 aM) and exosomal miRNA-21 (23.1 aM). This study combines the advantages of simultaneous biosensing, which disposable paper-based biosensing strategies and represents an important advance in the field of electrochemical analysis and provides unlimited possibilities for the development of flexible, easy-to-use, and inexpensive bioelectrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) signaling has been known to play a critical role in maintaining cellular and tissue homeostasis, which also has an essential role in the inflammatory response. However, it remains unidentified whether and how the macrophage PTEN may govern the innate immune signaling stimulator of interferon genes (STING) mediated inflammation and hepatocyte necroptosis in APAP-induced liver injury (AILI). Methods: Myeloid-specific PTEN knockout (PTENM−KO) and floxed PTEN (PTENFL/FL) mice were treated with APAP (400 mg/kg) or PBS. In a parallel in vitro study, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) were isolated from these conditional knockout mice and transfected with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Notch1 knockout (KO) or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated STING activation vector followed by LPS (100 ng/ml) stimulation. Results: Here, we report that myeloid-specific PTEN knockout (PTENM−KO) mice were resistant to oxidative stress-induced hepatocellular injury with reduced macrophage/neutrophil accumulation and proinflammatory mediators in AILI. PTENM−KO increased the interaction of nuclear Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) in the macrophage nucleus, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Mechanistically, it is worth noting that macrophage NICD and NRF2 co-localize within the nucleus under inflammatory conditions. Additionally, Notch1 promotes the interaction of immunoglobulin kappa J region (RBPjκ) with NRF2. Disruption of the Notch1 signal in PTEN deletion macrophages, reduced RBPjκ and NRF2 binding, and activated STING signaling. Moreover, PTENM−KO macrophages with STING activated led to ROS generation and TNF-α release, resulting in hepatocyte necroptosis upon co-culture with primary hepatocytes. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that the macrophage PTEN-NICD/NRF2-STING axis is critical to regulating oxidative stress-induced liver inflammation and necroptosis in AILI and implies the therapeutic potential for managing sterile liver inflammation. -_SzJnLNvYmjVKnhJWJTYK Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solutions to environmental and social problems are often framed in dichotomous ways, which can be counterproductive. Instead, multiple solutions are often needed to fully address these problems. Here we examine how framing influences people's preference for multiple solutions. In a pre-registered experiment, participants (N = 1,432) were randomly assigned to one of four framing conditions. In the first three conditions, participants were presented with a series of eight problems, each framed with multiple causes, multiple impacts, or multiple solutions to the problem. The control condition did not present any framing information. Participants indicated their preferred solution, perceived severity and urgency of the problem, and their dichotomous thinking tendency. Pre-registered analyses showed that none of the three frames had a significant impact on preference for multiple solutions, perceived severity, perceived urgency, or dichotomous thinking. However, exploratory analyses showed that perceived severity and urgency of the problem were positively correlated with people's preference for multiple solutions, while dichotomous thinking was negatively correlated. These findings showed no demonstrable impact of framing on multi-solution preference. Future interventions should focus on addressing perceived severity and urgency, or decreasing dichotomous thinking to encourage people to adopt multiple solutions to address complex environmental and social problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Baliao point on short-term complications, such as anal pain and swelling, after procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) in patients with mixed hemorrhoids. Methods: A total of 124 eligible patients undergoing PPH surgery were included in this study and randomly divided into a control group (n = 67) and an EA group (n = 57), with patients in the control group receiving only PPH surgery and patients in the EA group receiving PPH surgery and EA at Baliao point. Results: The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of EA group at 8, 24, 48, and 72 h after operation were significantly lower than those of control group. The anal distension scores at 8, 48, and 72 h after operation were also significantly lower than those of control group. The number of postoperative analgesic drug administration per patient was also significantly lower in the EA group. The incidence of urinary retention and tenesmus in EA group was significantly lower than that in control group within the first day after surgery. Conclusion: EA treatment at the Baliao point can alleviate short-term anal pain and anal swelling after the procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids, reduce the incidence of urinary retention, and decrease the use of postoperative analgesic drugs. Trial registration: This study was approved and registered by the Chinese Clinical Trial Center, Registration number: ChiCTR2100043519, Registration time: February 21, 2021 (https://www.chictr.org.cn/). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we aim to examine how the implicit learning of statistical regularities of successive stimuli affects the ability to exert cognitive control. In three experiments, sequences of flanker stimuli were segregated into pairs, with the second stimulus contingent on the first. Response times were reliably faster for the second stimulus if its congruence tended to match the congruence of the preceding stimulus, even though most participants were not explicitly aware of the statistical regularities (Experiment 1). In contrast, performance was not enhanced if the congruence of the second stimuli tended to mismatch the congruence of the first stimulus (Experiment 2). The lack of improvement appears to result from a failure of learning mismatch contingencies (Experiment 3). The results suggest that implicit learning of inter-stimulus relationships can facilitate cognitive control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor are universally stigmatized. The stigma of poverty includes being perceived as incompetent and feeling shunned and disrespected. It can lead to cognitive distancing, diminish cognitive performance, and cause the poor to forego beneficial programs. In the present research, we examined how self-affirmation can mitigate the stigma of poverty through randomized field experiments involving low-income individuals at an inner-city soup kitchen. Because of low literacy levels, we used an oral rather than written affirmation procedure, in which participants verbally described a personal experience that made them feel successful or proud. Compared with nonaffirmed participants, affirmed individuals exhibited better executive control, higher fluid intelligence, and a greater willingness to avail themselves of benefits programs. The effects were not driven by elevated positive mood, and the same intervention did not affect the performance of wealthy participants. The findings suggest that self-affirmation can improve the cognitive performance and decisions of the poor, and it may have important policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Given a prior distribution over a finite outcome space, how is the distribution updated when one outcome is excluded (i.e., assigned probability 0)? We describe two experiments in which estimated probabilities seem to “stick” to salient events. The probabilities of such events remain relatively invariant through updating. Our results suggest that the credence assigned to a salient category is sometimes more basic than the credence assigned to the constituents that comprise the category. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abnormal expression of microRNAs is greatly associated with the occurrence of various cancer types, revealing great potential of microRNA as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Herein, a MXene-MoS 2 heterostructure enhancing electrochemical biosensor coupled with catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) amplification approach for label-free determination of microRNA-21 (miR-21) was successfully assembled. In particular, the unique micro-nano heterostructure with large specific area and favorable electroconductivity exhibited the ability of excellent confinement effect. Thus, rendered the MXene-MoS 2 heterostructure the ability to trigger more target recycling reaction, giving new vitality to the traditional CHA amplification method. Meanwhile, thionine (Thi) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were anchoring at the surface of MXene-MoS 2 heterostructure, respectively, empowered the sensor the capability of capture probes fixation and miR-21 label-free determination. When numerous electronegative double-stranded DNA generated, the electron transfer was greatly hindered, resulting in signal decrease. Accordingly, the design denoted a broad dynamic range from 100 fM to 100 nM and a detection limit of about 26 fM, comparable or lower than previous reported methods for miR-21 detection. Furthermore, the sensing platform supplied satisfactory selectivity, reproducibility and stability towards the miR-21 detection. The real sample determination also showed a promising performance under clinical circumstance. Finally, from the clinical standpoint, the proposed biosensor is a considerable platform toward early disease detection and monitoring. [Display omitted] • MXene-MoS 2 's highly fold structure and superior reactive area increased hybridization efficiency through collision. • CHA synergized with MXene-MoS 2 showed a superb detection performance toward miR-21 with a low limit of detection (26 fM). • The proposed biosensor performed well in normal human serum with good accuracy and dependability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about regularities in the environment can be used to facilitate perception, memory, and language acquisition. Given this usefulness, we hypothesized that statistically structured sources of information receive attentional priority over noisier sources, independent of their intrinsic salience or goal relevance. We report three experiments that support this hypothesis. Experiment 1 shows that regularities bias spatial attention: Visual search was facilitated at a location containing temporal regularities, even though these regularities did not predict target location, timing, or identity. Experiments 2 and 3 show that regularities bias feature attention: Attentional capture doubled in magnitude when singletons appeared, respectively, in a color or dimension with temporal regularities among task-irrelevant stimuli. Prioritization of the locations and features of regularities is not easily accounted for in the conventional dichotomy between stimulus-driven and goal-directed attention. This prioritization may in turn promote further statistical learning, helping the mind to acquire knowledge about stable aspects of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Bayesian orthodoxy posits a tight relationship between conditional probability and updating. Namely, the probability of an event A after learning B should equal the conditional probability of A given B prior to learning B. We examine whether ordinary judgment conforms to the orthodox view. In three experiments we found substantial differences between the conditional probability of an event A supposing an event B compared to the probability of A after having learned B. Specifically, supposing B appears to have less impact on the credibility of A than learning that B is true. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The visual system can readily extract numerosity information from brief experiences. This numerical perception is characterized by diminishing accuracy as numerosity increases, and impaired discrimination for similar quantities and large magnitudes. Here we assess whether these properties apply more broadly to numerosity in visual long-term memory. In surprise memory tests, we observed: Remarkable accuracy in estimating the number of repetitions of an exemplar image (Experiment 1a), that this accuracy decreased but remained high when estimating over categories (Experiments 1b and 1c), that numerical discrimination from memory exhibited psychophysical distance and size effects (Experiment 2), that these effects may derive from stored representations rather than post hoc approximation (Experiment 3a), and that they can reflect total elapsed experience in addition to discrete counts (Experiment 3b). Similar to how numerosity is readily extracted during visual perception, our results suggest that numerosity is encoded incidentally in visual long-term memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jeffrey (1983) proposed a generalisation of conditioning as a means of updating probability distributions when new evidence drives no event to certainty. His rule requires the stability of certain conditional probabilities through time. We tested this assumption ('invariance') from the psychological point of view. In Experiment 1 participants offered probability estimates for events in Jeffrey's candlelight example. Two further scenarios were investigated in Experiment 2, one in which invariance seems justified, the other in which it does not. Results were in rough conformity to Jeffrey's (1983) principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In standard treatments of probability, is defined as the ratio of to , provided that . This account of conditional probability suggests a psychological question, namely, whether estimates of arise in the mind via implicit calculation of . We tested this hypothesis (Experiment 1) by presenting brief visual scenes composed of forms, and collecting estimates of relevant probabilities. Direct estimates of conditional probability were not well predicted by . Direct estimates were also closer to the objective probabilities defined by the stimuli, compared to estimates computed from the foregoing ratio. The hypothesis that arises from the ratio fared better (Experiment 2). In a third experiment, the same hypotheses were evaluated in the context of subjective estimates of the chance of future events. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication, and clinical practitioners have taken measures to improve the quality of life after hip replacement surgery. We aim to establish a nomogram to predict POD in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures (FNFs) after hip replacement. Methods: A total of 384 elderly patients (267 females) with an average age of 75.8 years who underwent hip replacement from June 2010 to May 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into delirium and non‐delirium groups according to the confusion assessment method. The risk factors for POD were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression, and the nomogram was established based on the results. Results: The incidence of POD was 33.33% (128/384). Univariate analysis showed that advanced age, diabetes, lacunar cerebral infarction, surgery type, intraoperative blood loss, electrolyte imbalance, and anemia were risk factors for POD (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the independent risk factors for POD were age (OR = 1.332, 95% CI [1.224, 1.449], p < 0.01), surgery type (OR = 0.351, 95% CI [0.137, 0.900], p = 0.029), electrolyte imbalance (OR = 4.407, 95% CI [1.947, 9.977], p< 0.01), anemia (OR = 10.819, 95% CI [4.573, 25.598], p < 0.01). The prediction equation was established; logistic (p) = −25.469 + 0.277*X1(age[value = years of age]) + 1.293*X2(surgery[value = 0 for "total hip replacement" or value = 1 for "hemiarthroplasty"]) + 1.510*X3(electrolyte imbalance[value = 0 for "no" or value = 1 for "yes"]) + 2.157*X4(anemia[value = 1 for "hemoglobin with < 120g/L in male and < 110g/L in female patients" ]) or 2.975*X5(anemia[value = 1 for "hemoglobin with <90g/L"]). The area under the curve was 0.957 (95% CI [0.938, 0.976], p < 0.01). Conclusion: The incidence of POD in elderly patients with FNF after hip replacement is high. The nomogram incorporating age, surgery type, electrolyte imbalance, and anemia could provide an individualized prediction for POD among FNF patients after hip replacement, which may help the physician determine appropriate perioperative management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a climate change mitigation strategy, environmentally certified 'green' buildings with low carbon footprints are becoming more prevalent in the world. An interesting psychological question is how people perceive the carbon footprint of these buildings given their spatial distributions in a given community. Here we examine whether regular distribution (i.e., buildings organized in a block) or irregular distribution (i.e., buildings randomly distributed) influences people's perception of the carbon footprint of the communities. We first replicated the negative footprint illusion, the tendency to estimate a lower carbon footprint of a combined group of environmentally certified green buildings and ordinary conventional buildings, than the carbon footprint of the conventional buildings alone. Importantly, we found that irregular distribution of the buildings increased the magnitude of the negative footprint illusion. Potential applied implications for urban planning of green buildings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]