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Risk taking is imperative for the survival and fitness of animals since they constantly face innumerable threats from various sources. Indeed, the ability of the individual to balance between the costs and benefits of various options and adopt a wise decision is critical for the well-being of the animal. In the current study, we investigated gender differences in risk taking and decision making in male and female Smith's zokors (Eospalax smithii), a subterranean rodent species, in the defensive withdrawal apparatus (DWA) under novel, predator and conditioned contexts. Under novel context, males showed more exploratory and less hiding behavior than females especially during the first half of the testing session. However, under predator and conditioned contexts, non-significant sexually dimorphic behavioral differences were observed. Nevertheless, analysis of the performance of each gender separately across the three contexts revealed that males showed strong aversion to the predator and conditioned contexts. By contrast, females did not significantly vary their behavioral responses when exposed to the predator and conditioned cues. Our results suggest that males are more inclined to indulge in riskier exploratory activities while females may be regarded as risk-aversive. The current findings highlighted the functional significance of the trade-off between risk and exploration in the natural environment such that male and female zokors differed in how they gather and process information during risky confrontations that ultimately elicit significant variations in their decision-making and coping strategies to dangerous events. Keywords: Conditioning, Behavior, Sex differences, Risk-taking, Subterranean rodents

Objectives: Low recognition and intervention rates of emotional disorders among nonpsychiatric clinical patients are primarily attributable to poor mental health awareness of patients and a paucity of mental health care resources. This study aims to investigate the association of a resource‐saving brief web‐based emotional‐disorder self‐screening plus a health self‐education program (BWBED‐SS + HSE) with improved mental health awareness and service‐seeking attitudes among nonpsychiatric clinical patients. Method: A sample of 2065 patients seeking health services in nonpsychiatric clinical settings underwent BWBED‐SS + HSE using mobile terminals. Participants were defined as being at high risk of anxiety and/or depression according to the optimal cut‐off point of ≥11 on the Huaxi emotional‐distress index (HEI). Results: The rate of participants at high risk of anxiety and/or depression was 6.63%. Following participation in the BWBED‐SS + HSE, after controlling for demographics, type of hospital, and test time, the rates of participants considering themselves as having an emotional disorder and willing to seek mental health services among those at high risk of anxiety and/or depression increased from 29.93% to 47.45% (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.28, p =.002) and from 11.68% to 29.93% (aOR = 3.65, p <.001), respectively. Conclusions: The BWBED‐SS + HSE were associated with improved mental health awareness and service‐seeking attitudes among patients seeking nonpsychiatric clinical services in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plateau zokor (Eospalax baileyi) is a subterranean rodent and seasonal breeder. During the non‐breeding season, the testicles regress, leading to the arrest of spermatogenesis and loss of fertility. The identification of the specific germ cell type at which spermatogenesis is arrested, as well as potential regulatory factors during the non‐breeding season, is important for understanding seasonal spermatogenesis in subterranean species. This study analyzed genes in spermatocytes of plateau zokor by referring to single‐cell RNA results in mice. We discovered that spermatogenesis is arrested at the spermatocyte during the non‐breeding season, which was corroborated via immunofluorescence staining results. The analysis of gene expression during different stages of meiotic prophase I has revealed that germ cell development may be arrested, starting from zygonema, during the non‐breeding season. Meanwhile, we discovered that the apoptosis genes were up‐regulated, leading to apoptosis in spermatocytes. To confirm that the germ cell differentiation was blocked during the non‐breeding season due to a decrease in the androgen level, we used androgen receptor antagonist (flutamide) to intervene in the breeding season and found that the inner diameter of the seminiferous tubules was significantly reduced, spermatogenesis was arrested, and spermatocytes underwent apoptosis. This study revealed that spermatocytes are the terminal of germ cell differentiation in plateau zokor during the non‐breeding season and that the arrest of differentiation is attributed to a decline in androgen levels. Our results complement the theoretical basis of seasonal reproduction in plateau zokor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The range of Glires is influenced by human activities and climate change. However, the extent to which human activities and environmental changes have contributed to this relationship remains unclear. We examined alterations in the distribution changes and driving factors of the Himalayan marmot, plateau pika, and plateau zokor on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model and a geographical detector (Geodetector)., Results: The MaxEnt model showed that the contribution rates of the human footprint index (HFI) to the distribution patterns of the three types of Glires were 46.70%, 58.70%, and 59.50%, respectively. The Geodetector results showed that the distribution pattern of the Himalayan marmot on the QTP was influenced by altitude and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The distribution patterns for plateau pikas and plateau zokors were driven by HFI and NDVI. Climate has played a substantial role in shaping suitable habitats for these three Glires on the QTP. Their suitable area is expected to decrease over the next 30-50 years, along with their niche breadth and overlap. Future suitable habitats for the three Glires tended to shift toward higher latitudes on the QTP., Conclusion: These findings underscore the impacts of environmental and human factors on the distribution of the three Glires on the QTP. They have enhanced our understanding of the intricate relationships between Glires niches and environments. This can aid in identifying necessary interventions for developing effective early warning systems and prevention strategies to mitigate Glires infestations and plague epidemics on the QTP. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Introduction: Grassland degradation has seriously affected the ecological environment and human livelihood. To abate these, implementing effective management strategies to restore and improve the service functions and productivity of degraded grasslands is crucial., Methods: To evaluate the influences of restoration measures combined with different grazing intensities on short-term (1 year) grassland restoration, the changes in soil physicochemical properties, as well as plant traits under restoration measures of different grazing intensities, reseeding, and fertilization, were analyzed., Results: Soil organic carbon (SOC) increased to varying degrees, whereas available nutrients decreased under all combined restoration measures. Reseeding, alone and in combination with fertilization, substantially increased SOC, improved grassland vegetation status, and enhanced grassland productivity. The aboveground biomass of Gramineae and the total aboveground biomass increased under the combined restoration measures of transferring livestock out of the pasture 45 days in advance, reseeding, and fertilization (T4). Redundancy analysis revealed a strong correlation between grassland vegetation characteristics, SOC, and available potassium. Considering soil and vegetation factors, the short-term results suggested that the combination measures in T4had the most marked positive impact on grassland restoration., Discussion: These findings offer valuable theoretical insights for the ecological restoration of degraded grasslands in alpine regions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Wang, Kang, Zhang, Bao, Sun and Su.)