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The early years, which encompass the first 4 years of life, are a critical period for development and have long-term implications for health. Physical activity is an important behavior that supports healthy development during this time. However, research on movement behaviors in the early years is still limited compared to other age groups. This article highlights the current evidence and future research directions for understanding movement behaviors in the early years, including the need for longitudinal studies, standardized measurement tools, and interventions that target all movement behaviors. Additionally, there is a call for research that focuses on children aged <3 years, as well as low- and middle-income countries, to address health inequities and promote population health. [Extracted from the article]

We analyze how individual investors respond to inflation. We introduce a unique data set containing information on local inflation and security portfolios of more than 2,000 clients of a German bank between 1920 and 1924, covering the German hyperinflation. We find that individual investors buy fewer (sell more) stocks when facing higher local inflation. This effect is more pronounced for less sophisticated investors. Moreover, we document a positive relation between local inflation and forgone returns following stock sales. Our findings are consistent with individual investors suffering from money illusion. Alternative explanations, such as consumption needs, are unlikely to drive our results. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix , which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long overlooked in neuroscience research, sex and gender are increasingly included as key variables potentially impacting all levels of neurobehavioral analysis. Still, many neuroscientists do not understand the difference between the terms sex and gender, the complexity and nuance of each, or how to best include them as variables in research designs. This TechSights article outlines rationales for considering the influence of sex and gender across taxa, and provides technical guidance for strengthening the rigor and reproducibility of such analyses. This guidance includes the use of appropriate statistical methods for comparing groups as well as controls for key covariates of sex (e.g., total intracranial volume) and gender (e.g., income, caregiver stress, bias). We also recommend approaches for interpreting and communicating sex- and gender-related findings about the brain, which have often been misconstrued by neuroscientists and the lay public alike.

Abstract Background High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is a global health concern. Additionally, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is disproportionately high among adolescents and adults in rural Appalachia. The primary study objective is to determine the intervention effects of Kids SIPsmartER on students’ SSB consumption. Secondary objectives focus on caregivers’ SSB consumption and secondary student and caregiver outcomes [e.g, body mass index (BMI), quality of life (QOL)]. Methods This Type 1 hybrid, cluster randomized controlled trial includes 12 Appalachian middle schools (6 randomized to Kids SIPsmartER and 6 to control). Kids SIPsmartER is a 6-month, 12 lesson, multi-level, school-based, behavior and health literacy program aimed at reducing SSB among 7th grade middle school students. The program also incorporates a two-way text message strategy for caregivers. In this primary prevention intervention, all 7th grade students and their caregivers from participating schools were eligible to participate, regardless of baseline SSB consumption. Validated instruments were used to assess SSB behaviors and QOL. Height and weight were objectively measured in students and self-reported by caregivers. Analyses included modified two-part models with time fixed effects that controlled for relevant demographics and included school cluster robust standard errors. Results Of the 526 students and 220 caregivers, mean (SD) ages were 12.7 (0.5) and 40.6 (6.7) years, respectively. Students were 55% female. Caregivers were mostly female (95%) and White (93%); 25% had a high school education or less and 33% had an annual household income less than $50,000. Regardless of SSB intake at baseline and relative to control participants, SSB significantly decreased among students [-7.2 ounces/day (95% CI = -10.7, -3.7); p 24 SSB ounces/day at baseline (i.e., high consumers), the ES increased to 0.45 and 0.95, respectively. There were no significant effects for student or caregiver QOL indicators or objectively measured student BMI; however, caregiver self-reported BMI significantly decreased in the intervention versus control schools (p = 0.001). Conclusions Kids SIPsmartER was effective at reducing SSB consumption among students and their caregivers in the rural, medically underserved Appalachian region. Importantly, SSB effects were even stronger among students and caregivers who were high consumers at baseline. Trial registration Clincialtrials.gov: NCT03740113. Registered 14 November 2018– Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03740113 .

Athletes ( I N = i 584) completed the Group Environment Questionnaire (Carron et al., 1985) to measure perceptions of cohesion and the SPLIT to assess athlete leadership behaviors. using structural equation modelling (SEM), the results showed the athlete leadership dimensions of task- and change-oriented leadership were positively related to the cohesion dimensions of ATG-T ( =.19, I p i <.05; =.62, I p i <.05, respectively) and GI-T ( =.16, I p i <.05; =.62, I p i <.05, respectively). B An examination of positive body image, sport-confidence, and sport performance evaluations in Jamaican athletes b I Chelsi Ricketts, Michigan State University; Leapetswe Malete, Michigan State University; Nicholas D. Myers, Michigan State University; André G. Bateman, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica; Caryl James Bateman, The University of the West Indies, Mona i Body image research in sport has primarily examined athletes' risk for developing body-related psychopathologies (e.g., negative body image, eating disorders), despite evidence of higher positive body image in athletes compared to non-athletes. It was hypothesized that (a) body and functionality appreciation would exert positive direct effects on sport-confidence, (b) sport-confidence would exert a positive direct effect on sport performance evaluations, and (c) body and functionality appreciation would exert positive indirect effects on sport performance evaluations through sport-confidence. The purpose of this study was to validate an athlete-reported version of the CLSS-Q. In total, 528 (high school, I n i = 346; college, I n i = 182) student-athletes completed the athlete-reported version of the 36-item CLSS-Q. To assess the factor structure of the athlete-reported CLSS-Q, we conducted a series of exploratory structural equation models (ESEM) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). [Extracted from the article]

In this study, we report on the electrochemical properties of hydrothermally synthesized MoS2 composites for use in lithium-ion batteries. A widespread method was modified for facile synthesis of pristine MoS2 and its composites with PEDOT:PSS, rGO, or both. The electrochemical performance of the materials was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements. The addition of rGO significantly enhances the specific capacity and stability of MoS2, with the MoS2/rGO composite exhibiting specific capacity in the second cycle of 748 mA·h·g−1 and a capacity retention of 63% through the 400th cycle. The composites exhibited a phenomenon of capacity increase after reaching a minimum, with this effect being most pronounced in the case of MoS2/rGO. This composite reached its lower capacity value at the 143rd cycle (211 mA·h·g−1), and then recovered to 224% of the minimum capacity (472 mA·h·g−1). We attribute this behavior to an increase in the availability of active particles over the course of cycling by milling the active components into smaller and thus more accessible species of Li2S and S. The intensity of the effect of rGO is due to its intrinsically large surface area and two-dimensional layered structure, which enhances the distribution of redox-active particles within the material layers and prevents agglomeration. Our results contribute to the existing evidence of the improved electrochemical performance of MoS2 in Li-ion batteries with layered graphitic compounds and provide promising avenues for further research of the unique behavior of conversion materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the excellent conductivity and physical properties, graphene can significantly enhance the piezoelectric and mechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric matrix. This article studies the actuation behavior of laminated composite beams integrated with a graphene-reinforced composite piezoelectric (GRCP) actuator. Structural deformations are achieved by interlaminar stresses at interfaces between the piezoelectric actuators and the composite beams. Interlaminar stresses cannot be neglected for the structural analysis of composite beams with a GRCP actuator. Composite beams actuated by GRCP actuators exhibit more complex interlaminar mechanical behavior than traditional composite beams. Existing higher-order shear deformation theories may lose the capability for the actuation behavior of composite beams with GRCP actuators subjected to electromechanical loadings. Thereby, an advanced theory is to be proposed for the actuation performance of GRCP actuators acting on composite beams. Differing from earlier higher-order theories, the proposed theory includes an electromechanical interlaminar shear stress field that can accurately describe the distributions of interlaminar shear stresses without any additional postprocessing procedures. Additionally, a three-node beam element is constructed in terms of the proposed theory. The three-dimensional elasticity solutions, two-dimensional finite element solutions, and the results calculated by the other theories are employed to evaluate the proposed beam theory. Numerical results show that the proposed electromechanical coupling beam model can produce promising results. Additionally, the impacts of significant parameters on the actuation performance of laminated beams with a GRCP actuator are thoroughly investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is a global health concern. Additionally, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is disproportionately high among adolescents and adults in rural Appalachia. The primary study objective is to determine the intervention effects of Kids SIPsmartER on students' SSB consumption. Secondary objectives focus on caregivers' SSB consumption and secondary student and caregiver outcomes [e.g, body mass index (BMI), quality of life (QOL)]. Methods: This Type 1 hybrid, cluster randomized controlled trial includes 12 Appalachian middle schools (6 randomized to Kids SIPsmartER and 6 to control). Kids SIPsmartER is a 6-month, 12 lesson, multi-level, school-based, behavior and health literacy program aimed at reducing SSB among 7th grade middle school students. The program also incorporates a two-way text message strategy for caregivers. In this primary prevention intervention, all 7th grade students and their caregivers from participating schools were eligible to participate, regardless of baseline SSB consumption. Validated instruments were used to assess SSB behaviors and QOL. Height and weight were objectively measured in students and self-reported by caregivers. Analyses included modified two-part models with time fixed effects that controlled for relevant demographics and included school cluster robust standard errors. Results: Of the 526 students and 220 caregivers, mean (SD) ages were 12.7 (0.5) and 40.6 (6.7) years, respectively. Students were 55% female. Caregivers were mostly female (95%) and White (93%); 25% had a high school education or less and 33% had an annual household income less than $50,000. Regardless of SSB intake at baseline and relative to control participants, SSB significantly decreased among students [-7.2 ounces/day (95% CI = -10.7, -3.7); p < 0.001, effect size (ES) = 0.35] and caregivers [-6.3 ounces/day (95% CI = -11.3, -1.3); p = 0.014, ES = 0.33]. Among students (42%) and caregivers (28%) who consumed > 24 SSB ounces/day at baseline (i.e., high consumers), the ES increased to 0.45 and 0.95, respectively. There were no significant effects for student or caregiver QOL indicators or objectively measured student BMI; however, caregiver self-reported BMI significantly decreased in the intervention versus control schools (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Kids SIPsmartER was effective at reducing SSB consumption among students and their caregivers in the rural, medically underserved Appalachian region. Importantly, SSB effects were even stronger among students and caregivers who were high consumers at baseline. Trial registration: Clincialtrials.gov: NCT03740113. Registered 14 November 2018– Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03740113. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ketamine has emerged as one of the most promising therapies for treatment-resistant depression. However, inter-individual variability in response to ketamine is still not well understood and it is unclear how ketamine's molecular mechanisms connect to its neural and behavioral effects. Methods: We conducted a single-blind placebo-controlled study, with participants blinded to their treatment condition. 40 healthy participants received acute ketamine (initial bolus 0.23 mg/kg, continuous infusion 0.58 mg/kg/hr). We quantified resting-state functional connectivity via data-driven global brain connectivity and related it to individual ketamine-induced symptom variation and cortical gene expression targets. Results: We found that: (i) both the neural and behavioral effects of acute ketamine are multi-dimensional, reflecting robust inter-individual variability; (ii) ketamine's data-driven principal neural gradient effect matched somatostatin (SST) and parvalbumin (PVALB) cortical gene expression patterns in humans, while the mean effect did not; and (iii) behavioral data-driven individual symptom variation mapped onto distinct neural gradients of ketamine, which were resolvable at the single-subject level. Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of considering individual behavioral and neural variation in response to ketamine. They also have implications for the development of individually precise pharmacological biomarkers for treatment selection in psychiatry. Funding: This study was supported by NIH grants DP5OD012109-01 (A.A.), 1U01MH121766 (A.A.), R01MH112746 (J.D.M.), 5R01MH112189 (A.A.), 5R01MH108590 (A.A.), NIAAA grant 2P50AA012870-11 (A.A.); NSF NeuroNex grant 2015276 (J.D.M.); Brain and Behavior Research Foundation Young Investigator Award (A.A.); SFARI Pilot Award (J.D.M., A.A.); Heffter Research Institute (Grant No. 1-190420) (FXV, KHP); Swiss Neuromatrix Foundation (Grant No. 2016-0111) (FXV, KHP); Swiss National Science Foundation under the framework of Neuron Cofund (Grant No. 01EW1908) (KHP); Usona Institute (2015 - 2056) (FXV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a high-strength bolted prefabricated concrete beam-column junction is presented, and the prefabricated concrete beam-column joint parts are put through eight quasi-static tests. The axial compression ratio and the steel plate hoop thickness were used in extended parameter research using finite element software to completely examine the seismic performance of the construction. According to the findings, this node's ductility coefficient ranges from 2.57 to 3.69, which is bigger than 3. The specimen loses part of its bearing capacity and constantly loses ductility as the axial compression ratio rises. The failure displacement of the specimen decreases with an increasing axial compression ratio, but the yield displacement of the specimen is very slightly affected by the axial compression ratio. This node has an excellent energy dissipation capacity despite having a low viscous damping coefficient between 0.2 and 0.4, and when the axial pressure ratio rises, the capacity grows in response to the elevated pressure. Despite this, the energy consumption of the beam-column member is not significantly affected by the steel plate hoop thickness. Additionally, according to the variable-angle truss-arch model and taking into account the representation of the truss-arch model under different conditions, this paper presents the equation for the shear load capacity of diagonal sections of prestressed high-strength spiral hoop-restrained concrete beams under various conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• first- and third-person perspective was compared in a driving simulator. • third-person perspective affects driving behaviour and reduces presence. • No difference in simulator sickness between perspectives. • A third-person perspective is not advised for driving simulator behavioural research. This study explores the effects of changing the viewing perspective from a first-person perspective (a traditional viewing perspective in virtual reality) to a third-person perspective (a view from behind the vehicle, as used in many computer games) on driving behaviour, presence, and simulator sickness. In a driving simulator participants drove the same route twice, once for each perspective. Measures for driving behaviour were recorded during the rides, and both simulator sickness and feeling of presence were measured after each ride. Participants also evaluated the perspectives for the different situations they encountered. Results show that changing viewing perspectives leads to a lower feeling of presence, but does not result in lower simulator sickness scores. While lane control is similar between perspectives, participants drove faster and more to the left in the third-person perspective. The first-person perspective was evaluated more positively in all situations, and was preferred by almost all participants. These results indicate that a third-person perspective is unlikely to be an effective method for reducing simulator sickness in driving simulators, and the results show that the third-person perspective is not advised in driving simulator behavioural research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement of resistance training (RT) is often based on adaptations of aerobic physical activity measures which may not contain the elements necessary to assess RT. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine what measures are used to assess RT and appraise their composition. Specifically, the inclusion of frequency, duration, intensity, the use of major muscle groups, reps, and sets. Search terms included "resistance training," "strength training," OR "weight training" AND "behavior" OR "participation." Studies were evaluated based on whether RT measures assessed the key components of participation. In the 92 included studies, only one of the six components of the RT recommendations was assessed on average. This was almost exclusively frequency. Many assessments of RT were adapted from aerobic measures without rigorous validity evidence. Construct validity in RT measurement may lead to improved public health recommendations, surveillance of behavior, and precision in determining effective interventions and correlates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists increasingly apply concepts from reinforcement learning to affect, but which concepts should apply? And what can their application reveal that we cannot know from directly observable states? An important reinforcement learning concept is the difference between reward expectations and outcomes. Such reward prediction errors have become foundational to research on adaptive behavior in humans, animals, and machines. Owing to historical focus on animal models and observable reward (e.g., food or money), however, relatively little attention has been paid to the fact that humans can additionally report correspondingly expected and experienced affect (e.g., feelings). Reflecting a broader "rise of affectivism," attention has started to shift, revealing explanatory power of expected and experienced feelings—including prediction errors—above and beyond observable reward. We propose that applying concepts from reinforcement learning to affect holds promise for elucidating subjective value. Simultaneously, we urge scientists to test—rather than inherit—concepts that may not apply directly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic cheating is a pervasive problem in many universities globally. The present double-blind randomized controlled field experiment tested whether reminding university students about academic dishonesty sanction policies would reduce their cheating in an actual exam. Students were assigned to either a Sanction Reminder or a No Reminder condition. Results showed a significant condition effect: Fewer students in the Sanction Reminder condition cheated than in the No Reminder condition; among those who cheated, males and females did not differ in their extent of cheating in the No Reminder condition but in the Reminder condition, male students cheated to a lesser extent than females. These findings suggest that sanction reminder, a widely used academic integrity practice, may indeed have its utility to promote academic honesty in exams. Further, they suggest that to reduce cheating on exams, one does not need to use methods that are overtly explicit and elaborate. A brief, subtle, and simple reminder would suffice. Our research also illustrates the importance of conducting well-controlled field behavioral research to evaluate the effectiveness of commonly implemented educational practices to ascertain that they indeed serve their designed pedagogical purposes to promote optimal learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sports marketing and sponsorship research is located at the intersection of behavioral and design research, which means that it analyzes the current world and shapes a future world. This dual focus poses challenges for formulating and testing theories of sports marketing. Design/methodology/approach: This article develops criteria for categorizing theoretical concepts as either behavioral or formed as different ways of expressing ideas of sports marketing research. It emphasizes the need for clear concept categorization for proper operationalization and applies these criteria to selected theoretical concepts of sports marketing and sponsorship research. Findings: The study defines three criteria to categorize theoretical concepts, namely (1) the guiding idea of research, (2) the role of observed variables, and (3) the relationship among observed variables. Applying these criteria to concepts of sports marketing research manifests the relevance of categorizing theoretical concepts as either behavioral or formed to operationalize concepts correctly. Originality/value: This study is the first in sports marketing to clearly categorize theoretical concepts as either behavioral or formed, and to formulate guidelines on how to differentiate behavioral concepts from formed concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation to seek social interactions is inherent to all social species. For instance, even with risk of disease transmission in a recent pandemic, humans sought out frequent in-person social interactions. In other social animals, socialization can be prioritized even over water or food consumption. Zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata , are highly gregarious songbirds widely used in behavioural and physiological research. Songbirds, like humans, are vocal learners during development, which rely on intense auditory learning. Aside from supporting song learning, auditory learning further supports individual identification, mate choice and outcome associations in songbirds. To study auditory learning in a laboratory setting, studies often employ operant paradigms with food restriction and reinforcement and require complete social isolation, which can result in stress and other unintended physiological consequences for social species. Thus, in this work, we designed an operant behavioural method leveraging the sociality of zebra finches for goal-directed behaviours. Our approach relies on visual social reinforcement, without depriving the animals of food or social contact. Using this task, we found that visual social reinforcement was a strong motivational drive for operant behaviour. Motivation was sensitive to familiarity towards the stimulus animal and higher when engaging with a familiar versus a novel individual. We further show that this tool can be used to assess auditory discrimination learning using either songs or synthetic pure tones as stimuli. As birds gained experience in the task, they developed a strategy to maximize reward acquisition in spite of receiving more punishment, i.e. liberal response bias. Our operant paradigm provides an alternative to tasks using food reinforcement and could be applied to a variety of highly social species, such as rodents and nonhuman primates. • We used a novel social reward-based operant task for zebra finches. • Birds were more motivated to obtain access to familiar over novel conspecifics. • Social motivation reinforced auditory discrimination learning in a Go/No-go task. • Birds with more experience in the Go/No-go task developed liberal response bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time series analysis (TSA) is a statistical approach rooted in data mining that measures outcomes that consistently fluctuate over time. It is uniquely positioned as a methodology for preventive intervention research due to its capacity to measure long‐term impact in natural settings. With the ability to detect temporal patterns in a series of chronological data points, it allows researchers to detect naturalistic patterns, forecast future observations, and explain a change in data after an intervention is put in place. However, its application is historically sparse across behavioral research. This article provides counseling researchers with an overview of TSA and presents a step‐by‐step guide for conducting TSA analyses in counseling research. The author discusses the key concepts, steps for implementation, and the strengths and challenges of conducting TSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flexible drilling tool is a special drilling tool for ultrashort-radius radial horizontal wells. This tool is composed of many parts and has the characteristics of a multibody system. In this paper, a numerical method for the dynamic analysis of flexible drilling tools is proposed. The flexible drill tool is discretized into spatial beam elements, while the multilayer contact of the flexible drilling tool is represented by the multilayer dynamic gap element, and the dynamic model of the multibody system for the flexible drilling tool's multilayer contact is established, considering the interaction force between the drill bit and the rock. The nonlinear dynamic equation is solved using the Newmark method and Newton–Raphson method. An analysis of the dynamic behavior of a flexible drilling tool is conducted. The results indicate that the flexible drilling tool experiences vortex formation due to the interaction between the flexible drilling pipe and the guide pipe, leading to increased friction and wear. This situation hinders safe drilling operations with flexible drilling tools. The collision force of the flexible drilling tool near the bottom of the hole is more severe than that of the other tool types, which may lead to failure of the connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit fly courtship behaviors composed of a series of actions have always been an important model for behavioral research. While most related studies have focused only on total courtship behaviors, specific courtship elements have often been underestimated. Identifying these courtship element details is extremely labor intensive and would largely benefit from an automatic recognition system. To address this issue, in this study, we established a vision-based fly courtship behavior recognition system. The system based on the proposed image processing methods can precisely distinguish body parts such as the head, thorax, and abdomen and automatically recognize specific courtship elements, including orientation, singing, attempted copulation, copulation and tapping, which was not detectable in previous studies. This system, which has high identity tracking accuracy (99.99%) and high behavioral element recognition rates (> 97.35%), can ensure correct identification even when flies completely overlap. Using this newly developed system, we investigated the total courtship time, and proportion, and transition of courtship elements in flies across different ages and found that male flies adjusted their courtship strategy in response to their physical condition. We also identified differences in courtship patterns between males with and without successful copulation. Our study therefore demonstrated how image processing methods can be applied to automatically recognize complex animal behaviors. The newly developed system will largely help us investigate the details of fly courtship in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Animal movement trajectories are effective indicators of key information such as social behavior, food acquisition, reproduction, migration, and survival strategies in animal behavior analysis. However, manual observation is still relied upon in many analysis scenarios, which is inefficient and error-prone. This paper introduces a computer vision-based method for tracking animal trajectories, which enables monitoring and accurate acquisition of individual target animal movement trajectories over extended periods, overcoming the limitations of manual observation. The experiments demonstrate that the method is efficient and accurate in tracking animals in complex scenes, providing essential basic data for animal behavior analysis and having a wide range of potential applications. Animal tracking is crucial for understanding migration, habitat selection, and behavior patterns. However, challenges in video data acquisition and the unpredictability of animal movements have hindered progress in this field. To address these challenges, we present a novel animal tracking method based on correlation filters. Our approach integrates hand-crafted features, deep features, and temporal context information to learn a rich feature representation of the target animal, enabling effective monitoring and updating of its state. Specifically, we extract hand-crafted histogram of oriented gradient features and deep features from different layers of the animal, creating tailored fusion features that encapsulate both appearance and motion characteristics. By analyzing the response map, we select optimal fusion features based on the oscillation degree. When the target animal's state changes significantly, we adaptively update the target model using temporal context information and robust feature data from the current frame. This updated model is then used for re-tracking, leading to improved results compared to recent mainstream algorithms, as demonstrated in extensive experiments conducted on our self-constructed animal datasets. By addressing specific challenges in animal tracking, our method offers a promising approach for more effective and accurate animal behavior research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioural plasticity allows organisms to respond to environmental challenges on short time scales. But what are the ecological and evolutionary processes that underlie behavioural plasticity? The answer to this question is complex and requires experimental dissection of the physiological, neural and molecular mechanisms contributing to behavioural plasticity as well as an understanding of the ecological and evolutionary contexts under which behavioural plasticity is adaptive. Here, we discuss key insights that research with Trinidadian guppies has provided on the underpinnings of adaptive behavioural plasticity. First, we present evidence that guppies exhibit contextual, developmental and transgenerational behavioural plasticity. Next, we review work on behavioural plasticity in guppies spanning three ecological contexts (predation, parasitism and turbidity) and three underlying mechanisms (endocrinological, neurobiological and genetic). Finally, we provide three outstanding questions that could leverage guppies further as a study system and give suggestions for how this research could be done. Research on behavioural plasticity in guppies has provided, and will continue to provide, a valuable opportunity to improve understanding of the ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences of behavioural plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Promoting the uptake of vaccination for infectious diseases such as COVID-19 remains a global challenge, necessitating collaborative efforts between public health units (PHUs) and communities. Applied behavioural science can play a crucial role in supporting PHUs' response by providing insights into human behaviour and informing tailored strategies to enhance vaccination uptake. Community engagement can help broaden the reach of behavioural science research by involving a more diverse range of populations and ensuring that strategies better represent the needs of specific communities. We developed and applied an approach to conducting community-based behavioural science research with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse populations to guide PHUs in tailoring their strategies to promote COVID-19 vaccination. This paper presents the community engagement methodology and the lessons learned in applying the methodology. Methods: The community engagement methodology was developed based on integrated knowledge translation (iKT) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles. The study involved collaboration with PHUs and local communities in Ontario, Canada to identify priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination, understand factors influencing vaccine uptake and co-design strategies tailored to each community to promote vaccination. Community engagement was conducted across three large urban regions with individuals from Eastern European communities, African, Black, and Caribbean communities and low socioeconomic neighbourhoods. Results: We developed and applied a seven-step methodology for conducting community-based behavioural science research: (1) aligning goals with system-level partners; (2) engaging with PHUs to understand priorities; (3) understanding community strengths and dynamics; (4) building relationships with each community; (5) establishing partnerships (community advisory groups); (6) involving community members in the research process; and (7) feeding back and interpreting research findings. Research partnerships were successfully established with members of prioritized communities, enabling recruitment of participants for theory-informed behavioural science interviews, interpretation of findings, and co-design of targeted recommendations for each PHU to improve COVID-19 vaccination uptake. Lessons learned include the importance of cultural sensitivity and awareness of sociopolitical context in tailoring community engagement, being agile to address the diverse and evolving priorities of PHUs, and building trust to achieve effective community engagement. Conclusion: Effective community engagement in behavioural science research can lead to more inclusive and representative research. The community engagement approach developed and applied in this study acknowledges the diversity of communities, recognizes the central role of PHUs, and can help in addressing complex public health challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavior frequency measures in behavioral addictions research fail to account for how engagement in the activity relates to each respondent's personal circumstances. We propose a "Red Box, Green Box" method, an alternative to conventional self-report behavior questions. Participants report two distinct time-based values: (1) Green box: time spent engaged in the activity during 'free' time, and (2) Red box: engagement in the activity at times when the respondent should be doing something else (e.g., studying, working, sleeping, exercising, etc.). Some practical examples of the 'red box, green box' method are provided. This method may help to calibrate behavioral frequency for each respondent and yield clearer insights into displacement effects and risks associated with frequency of use. We suggest some future research directions to test the feasibility and utility of this approach in different implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anonymous web-based experiments are increasingly used in many domains of behavioral research. However, online studies of auditory perception, especially of psychoacoustic phenomena pertaining to low-level sensory processing, are challenging because of limited available control of the acoustics, and the inability to perform audiometry to confirm normal-hearing status of participants. Here, we outline our approach to mitigate these challenges and validate our procedures by comparing web-based measurements to lab-based data on a range of classic psychoacoustic tasks. Individual tasks were created using jsPsych, an open-source JavaScript front-end library. Dynamic sequences of psychoacoustic tasks were implemented using Django, an open-source library for web applications, and combined with consent pages, questionnaires, and debriefing pages. Subjects were recruited via Prolific, a subject recruitment platform for web-based studies. Guided by a meta-analysis of lab-based data, we developed and validated a screening procedure to select participants for (putative) normal-hearing status based on their responses in a suprathreshold task and a survey. Headphone use was standardized by supplementing procedures from prior literature with a binaural hearing task. Individuals meeting all criteria were re-invited to complete a range of classic psychoacoustic tasks. For the re-invited participants, absolute thresholds were in excellent agreement with lab-based data for fundamental frequency discrimination, gap detection, and sensitivity to interaural time delay and level difference. Furthermore, word identification scores, consonant confusion patterns, and co-modulation masking release effect also matched lab-based studies. Our results suggest that web-based psychoacoustics is a viable complement to lab-based research. Source code for our infrastructure is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arranging assent opportunities is an increasingly common strategy for involving clients in therapeutic decisions within behavior analysis. Recent behavior‐analytic articles have helped create a basic behavioral definition and conceptualization of assent, but much more guidance is needed for practitioners and researchers interested in embedding assent into their practices. The purpose of this article is to advance the conceptualization and understanding of assent and assent practices by refining previous definitions and conceptualizations of assent and providing six essential considerations for embedding assent into practice. The six considerations consist of determining the applicability and feasibility of assent, assessing assent‐related skills, arranging assent procedures and teaching assent‐related skills, arranging fair choices, selecting opportunities to assess assent, and informally assessing assent. Following the discussion of the considerations for assent practices, we issue a call for specific topics of research on assent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide context surrounding the history of single-case research and to act as a benchmark for which future changes across the fields and disciplines that use single-case methods may be compared, we conducted this study to serve as an update and extension on the trends and prevalence of single-case research in the peer-reviewed literature. Our analytical sample was derived from 20 peer-reviewed journals over a 40-year timespan. Results indicate that since 1978, approximately one in six publications within our examined body of research employed a single-case research design. Exploratory moderator analyses revealed that a journal's focus on behavior analytic research, and a journal's impact factor moderated the prevalence of single-case publications within a journal. We discuss our findings in relation to prior studies examining the prevalence and trends of single-case research and future directions for single-case researchers to improve the quality, value, and understanding of single-case methodology (https://osf.io/fns3m/). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Contemporary best practices for working with exhibit animals in zoological facilities incorporate behavioral research, theories on operant learning, animal welfare principles, and practical experience to provide animals with largely positive experiences when interacting with their caretakers and their environment. These best practices must be more fully implemented to increase ambassador animal welfare based on taxonomic and individual animal characteristics, experience with present and past caretakers, and ambassador program objectives. This implementation requires training staff to modify animal behavior using the most positive and least intrusive interactions possible. We rigorously consider how to apply best practices to meet ambassador program objectives and animal welfare needs by ensuring appropriate institutional support, the selection of the most suitable animals for the program's objectives, and the creation of an environment where animals recognize that they can choose whether to interact with humans and participate in programs, as well as exert control over their environment. Our synthesis provides a framework showing how staff can continually assess and address the behavioral response of ambassador animals to their environment—along with their interactions with humans during and outside of program usage—with the goal of meeting our most current and evolved criteria for ensuring high animal welfare. There is an ethical need to document and develop best practices for meeting ambassador animals' welfare needs within the context of meeting zoo and aquarium program objectives. This is because ambassador animals experience direct and frequent contact with humans. This paper rigorously synthesizes behavioral research and theory, contemporary practices, and personal experiences to offer key concepts that can be applied to meet ambassador animal welfare needs. These key concepts include addressing an animal's recognition of choice and control, the use of the most positive and least intrusive effective interventions when training animals to participate in programming, and an overall reduction in aversive strategy use. Our model for increasing ambassador animal welfare focuses on seven main areas of concern, including the following: choosing the most suitable animal for the program; choosing the human with the right skills and knowledge for the program; using the most positive, least intrusive, effective training methods; developing a strong trusting relationship between trainer and animal; developing a comprehensive enrichment program; the need for institutional support; and creating opportunities for animals to practice species-appropriate behaviors. Our model will provide guidelines for improved ambassador animal welfare that can be refined with future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many of the theories used in behavioral cybersecurity research have been applied with a nomothetic approach, which is characterized by cross-sectional data (e.g., one-time surveys) that identify patterns across a population of individuals. Although this can provide valuable between-person, point-in-time insights (e.g., employees who use neutralization techniques, such as denying responsibility for cybersecurity policy violations, tend to comply less), it is unable to reveal within-person patterns that account for varying experiences and situations over time. This paper articulates why an idiographic approach, which undertakes a within-person analysis of longitudinal data, can: (1) help validate widely used theories in behavioral cybersecurity research that imply patterns of behavior within a given person over time and (2) provide distinct theoretical insights on behavioral cybersecurity phenomena by accounting for such within-person patterns. To these ends, we apply an idiographic approach to an established theory in behavioral cybersecurity research--neutralization theory--and empirically test a within-person variant of this theory using a four-week experience sampling study. Our results support a more granular application of neutralization theory in the cybersecurity context that considers the behavior of a given person over time. We conclude the paper by highlighting the contexts and theories that provide the most promising opportunities for future behavioral cybersecurity research using an idiographic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This dataset provides the estimated birth location, sex, assigned parents, and estimated birth and death dates of 920 gray‐sided voles (Myodes rufocanus) born in a 3‐ha outdoor enclosure in Sapporo, Japan between September 1992 and May 1994, as well as capture–recapture data for 30 trapping sessions. We introduced 22 males and 25 females from several natural populations into the enclosure in late September 1992. Individuals in the enclosure were captured using live traps every 2 weeks until late April 1994, except for periods with deep snow cover. The location, body weight, and reproductive status of each vole were monitored throughout the study period. Complementary trapping was performed within the home ranges of breeding females to mark juveniles as early as possible. Upon first capture, each individual was marked by toe clipping for subsequent identification, and the clipped toes were used as DNA samples. For each individual, candidate parents were selected based on female reproduction history and capture points. Parentage then was determined using genotypes at 3–5 microsatellite loci with the CERVUS program. The results show that individuals born in the enclosure (N = 920) were derived from 215 litters, among which multiple males sired 51 litters. We used this database to elucidate the promiscuous mating system and inbreeding‐avoidance mechanism of the gray‐sided vole and to develop a new method for estimating the frequency of multiple‐male mating. This dataset will contribute to future behavioral ecological research on this and other small mammal species. The complete data set for this abstract published in the Data Article section of the journal is available in electronic format in MetaCat in JaLTER at http://db.cger.nies.go.jp/JaLTER/metacat/metacat/ERDP-2023-03.1/jalter-en. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mothers are more responsible for raising their children and are usually the main caregivers of disabled children. This research aims to determine the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy on depression, mental rumination, and social avoidance in mothers of children with cerebral palsy. Methods: This study was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test with a control group. The statistical population included all mothers of children with cerebral palsy in Ilam City, Iran in 2022. The sample size included 40 mothers who were referred to occupational therapy centers from the mentioned population who were selected by convenient sampling method and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Behavioral activation therapy was given to the experimental group for 8 sessions of 90 minutes once a week. Data were collected using the Beck depression inventory-second edition (BDI-II), rumination questionnaire, and social phobia questionnaire in two stages before the intervention and after the intervention. In this research, covariance analysis was used to analyze data. Results: The results of the multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) showed that behavioral activation therapy has a significant effect on reducing symptoms of depression (P≤0.001), rumination (P≤0.001), and social avoidance and its components (P0.05). Conclusion: Behavioral activation therapy has a positive and significant effect at the 0.05 level in improving depression symptoms and reducing rumination and social avoidance in the subjects of the present study. This study proposed that behavioral activation therapy is a suitable treatment for depression, rumination, and social avoidance and its components, which can be tested in future research.

Autism spectrum is characterized by difficulties in social communication and interactions and limited, restricted patterns of behavior, interests, and activity. It is diagnosed and described on the basis of behavioral characteristics. Therefore, behavior research plays a critical role in better understanding the functioning of this group of children. Studies on their interests and curiosity take mainly the form of experiments on visual and object exploration. We argue that important aspects of behavior might be neglected within these studies and propose to refine the approach by incorporating the achievements of classic ethology, contemporary measurement and analytical tools, and the theory of integrative levels. We conclude with an outline of the proposed approach in a short list of major methodological postulates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To ascertain whether sociodemographic and health-related characteristics known from previous research to have a substantive impact on recovery from depression modified the effect of a digital intervention designed to improve depressive symptoms (CONEMO). Methods: The CONEMO study consisted of two randomized controlled trials, one conducted in Lima, Peru, and one in São Paulo, Brazil. As a secondary trial plan analysis, mixed logistic regression was used to explore interactions between the treatment arm and subgroups of interest defined by characteristics measured before randomization – suicidal ideation, race/color, age, gender, income, type of mobile phone, alcohol misuse, tobacco use, and diabetes/hypertension – in both trials. We estimated interaction effects between the treatment group and these subgroup factors for the secondary outcomes using linear mixed regression models. Results: Increased effects of the CONEMO intervention on the primary outcome (reduction of at least 50% in depressive symptom scores at 3-month follow-up) were observed among older and wealthier participants in the Lima trial (p = 0.030 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: There was no evidence of such differential effects in São Paulo, and no evidence of impact of any other secondary outcomes in either trial. Clinical trial registration: NCT02846662 (São Paulo, Brazil – SP), NCT03026426 (Lima, Peru – LI). Funded by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (grant U19MH098780).

Understanding behavior and its evolutionary underpinnings is crucial for unraveling the complexities of brain function. Traditional approaches strive to reduce behavioral complexity by designing short-term, highly constrained behavioral tasks with dichotomous choices in which animals respond to defined external perturbation. In contrast, natural behaviors evolve over multiple time scales during which actions are selected through bidirectional interactions with the environment and without human intervention. Recent technological advancements have opened up new possibilities for experimental designs that more closely mirror natural behaviors by replacing stringent experimental control with accurate multidimensional behavioral analysis. However, these approaches have been tailored to fit only a small number of species. This specificity limits the experimental opportunities offered by species diversity. Further, it hampers comparative analyses that are essential for extracting overarching behavioral principles and for examining behavior from an evolutionary perspective. To address this limitation, we developed ReptiLearn—a versatile, low-cost, Python-based solution, optimized for conducting automated long-term experiments in the home cage of reptiles, without human intervention. In addition, this system offers unique features such as precise temperature measurement and control, live prey reward dispensers, engagement with touch screens, and remote control through a user-friendly web interface. Finally, ReptiLearn incorporates low-latency closed-loop feedback allowing bidirectional interactions between animals and their environments. Thus, ReptiLearn provides a comprehensive solution for researchers studying behavior in ectotherms and beyond, bridging the gap between constrained laboratory settings and natural behavior in nonconventional model systems. We demonstrate the capabilities of ReptiLearn by automatically training the lizard Pogona vitticeps on a complex spatial learning task requiring association learning, displaced reward learning, and reversal learning. Methods used for quantitative behavioral research are geared towards traditional model systems, hindering comparative research and limiting diversity. This study describes a versatile platform for studying natural behaviors in reptiles across multiple time scales and with minimally constrained conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental protection talents training (EPTT) is recognized as a key prerequisite for maintaining environmental sustainability, and in order to study the influence of each player on EPTT. This paper innovatively constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model of government, university and enterprise. The equilibrium points and evolutionary stabilization strategies of each participant are solved by replicating the dynamic equations, and the behaviors of each subject in EPTT are analyzed so as to clarify the behavioral characteristics and optimal strategies of the government's participation in EPTT. The results show that enterprises occupy a more important position in influencing government decisions. The government should reduce the financial incentives for enterprises and replace them with greater policy support. Meanwhile, the government should actively promote the cultivation mechanism that integrates universities and enterprises. The results of the study can provide a decision-making basis for the government to promote the sustainable development of EPTT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a human–robot symbiotic society, it is crucial to have seamless communication between human and robot. However, there are still numerous obstacles to overcome to develop a interaction system that can flexibly interact in various situations. A practical approach to implementing interaction systems socially is to optimize interaction strategies by limiting and selecting tasks and situations. This research focused on the behavior of 'apology,' which is unique to humans and expected to be challenging for robots to replace. Effective interaction strategies were examined, with emphasis on the user's orientation toward the service and the essential elements for a robot to apologize. An apology process was implemented based on specific situations, capable of responding to both utilitarian and relational orientations, along with appropriate multimodal behavior control and speech expressions that consider the user's relationship with the robot. The system with these elements was evaluated for validity and effectiveness in the apology process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Horses respond to threats by moving away or, if that is not an option, by behaving in ways that deter the threat or move it away. These responses that help to reduce the threat are regularly labelled aggression, but this overlooks the motivation that underpins the responses which are often simply forms of defence. A catch-all term that avoids the need to interpret the motivation for defence and aggression responses is agonistic behaviour. In domestic horses, all such responses are important because they can be dangerous for both horses and personnel; they can prompt humans to defend themselves and can compromise the relationships that horses have with their carers. This study used an online questionnaire to ask owners about the management, training, and behaviour of the horses in their care. Although this questionnaire included data on horses that had not yet been trained to be ridden or had retired, this article focuses on the results of 2743 ridden horses. It reports a scale from warning signs—threatening to bite, pinning ears, tail swishing, threatening to kick or strike—to the most serious actions that include actual biting, kicking, or striking. The analysis revealed that agonistic behaviour is associated with certain management or training activities and that horses that show one form of behaviour are likely to show others in the same context. This means that some horses are particularly motivated to show these responses by certain triggers that arise in such contexts. The clusters with common characteristics were those observed in the context of: accelerating when ridden; saddling; familiar management activities; proximity to unfamiliar horses and other species. Taken together, these results highlight the prospect that the motivation to show these responses differs with context. This finding challenges the simplistic view that the problems with equine aggression and defence lie with the horses themselves rather than with historic or current management practices. Agonistic behaviours are often directed at other animals for self-defence or to increase distance from valued resources, such as food. Examples include aggression and counter-predator behaviours. Contemporary diets may boost the value of food as a resource and create unanticipated associations with the humans who deliver it. At the same time the domestic horse is asked to carry the weight of riders and perform manoeuvres that, ethologically, are out-of-context and may be associated with instances of pain, confusion, or fear. Agonistic responses can endanger personnel and conspecifics. They are traditionally grouped along with so-called vices as being undesirable and worthy of punishment; a response that can often make horses more dangerous. The current study used data from the validated online Equine Behavioural and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) to explore the agonistic behaviours (as reported by the owners) of 2734 horses. With a focus on ridden horses, the behaviours of interest in the current study ranged from biting and bite threats and kicking and kick threats to tail swishing as an accompaniment to signs of escalating irritation when horses are approached, prepared for ridden work, ridden, and hosed down (e.g., after work). Analysis of the responses according to the context in which they arise included a dendrographic analysis that identified five clusters of agonistic behaviours among certain groups of horses and a principal component analysis that revealed six components, strongly related to the five clusters. Taken together, these results highlight the prospect that the motivation to show these responses differs with context. The clusters with common characteristics were those observed in the context of: locomotion under saddle; saddling; reactions in a familiar environment, inter-specific threats, and intra-specific threats. These findings highlight the potential roles of fear and pain in such unwelcome responses and challenge the simplistic view that the problems lie with the nature of the horses themselves rather than historic or current management practices. Improved understanding of agonistic responses in horses will reduce the inclination of owners to label horses that show such context-specific responses as being generally aggressive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare personnel suffer from an increased risk of stress, burnout, and depression due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies show that interactive smart textiles help people alleviate their emotions. In this research, we investigate how to utilise interactive textiles to help healthcare workers mitigate their negative feelings. We have designed a smart t-shirt that encourages its wearers to perform body movements to enhance their positive emotions, stimulated by vibrotactile and audio feedback mechanisms. We demonstrate our smart t-shirt's utility by asking healthcare workers (including physicians and nurses) to use it for five consecutive days. Our prototype design supports using it anywhere, including work, home, and other places. We evaluated our smart t-shirt prototype for emotion regulations at work for healthcare workers through an in-situ user study conducted at three hospitals. Results show that using the smart t-shirt positively impacts the healthcare workers' immediate emotion regulation when they experienced emotion fluctuation and provided a more positive attitude towards their work. We conclude by analysing the potential factors that influence emotions and outline the design space of e-textiles for emotion regulation in real-life use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The burden of non-communicable diseases is becoming unmanageable by primary healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries. Community-based approaches are promising for supporting healthcare facilities. In Vietnam, community health volunteers are trained in providing health promotion and screening in a culturally adapted training. This study aims to assess the change in knowledge, attitude and practice regarding NCD prevention and management after a culturally adapted training, and the potential mechanisms leading to this change. Methods: The Knowledge Attitude and Practice survey was assessed before and after an initial training, and before and after a refresher training (n = 37). We used a focus group discussion with community health volunteers (n = 8) to map potential mechanisms of the training and applying learned knowledge in practice. Data were collected in the districts Le Chan and An Duong of Hai Phong, Vietnam, in November 2021 and May 2022. Results: We found that knowledge increased after training (mean = 5.54, 95%-confidence interval = 4.35 to 6.74), whereas attitude and practice did not improve. Next, knowledge decreased over time (m=-12.27;-14.40 to -10.11) and did not fully recover after a refresher training (m=-1.78;-3.22 to -0.35). As potential mechanisms for change, we identified the use of varying learning methods, enough breaks, efficient coordination of time located for theory and practice, handout materials, large group size and difficulty in applying a digital application for screening results. Conclusion: Culturally adapted trainings can improve knowledge among community health volunteers which is important for the support of primary healthcare in low- and middle-income countries. Using a digital screening application can be a barrier for the improvement of knowledge, attitude and practice and we suggest using an intergenerational or age-friendly approach, with the supervision of primary healthcare professionals. Future research on behavioral change should include additional components such as self-efficacy and interrelationships between individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of Congress reveal their preferences on an issue, not only in how they vote, but also how they spend their time. I introduce and validate a new measure of Congressional engagement in national defense, based on the amount of time and legislative energy a member spends on defense issues. I demonstrate the utility of this index through the reexamination of two key puzzles in the literature on Congressional defense preferences: how veterans and members with military interests vote relative to their peers. Using the National Defense Engagement Index (NDEI) I find that both veterans and members who have military industry in their districts are much more likely to be engaged with defense than other members of Congress. These results help to resolve discrepancies in previous literature and suggest the benefit of investigating member engagement as a key part of research on Congressional behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study adds to a growing body of behavioral research aimed at learning about changes in behavior over time. In this proof-of-concept study, functional analyses were conducted every 6–8 weeks with eight children diagnosed with ASD receiving early intervention services at a community-based clinic. The goal of this study was to develop a method for assessing participants' general sensitivity to common reinforcement contingencies and relative response allocation to problem and appropriate behavior across time. To accomplish this, we reinforced the first instance of either problem behavior or appropriate behavior during functional analyses. Reinforcing appropriate behavior allowed us to fulfill the goals of this study while avoiding deleterious effects on ongoing clinical treatment and ethical concerns about repeatedly exposing participants to assessment contexts that favor problem behavior. The clinical utility of the described approach and avenues for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observers adopt attentional control settings (ACSs) based on their goals that guide the capture of attention: Searched-for stimuli capture attention, and stimuli that are not searched for do not. While previous behavioural research indicates that observers can adopt long-term memory (LTM) ACSs (Giammarco et al. Visual Cognition,24, 78–101, 2016), it seems surprising that representations in LTM could guide attention quickly enough to control attentional capture. To assess the claim that LTM ACSs exert control over early attentional orienting, we recorded electroencephalography while participants studied and searched for 30 target objects in an attention cueing task. Participants reported the studied target and ignored the preceding cues. To control for perceptual evoked responses, on each trial we presented two cue objects (one studied and one nonstudied). Even though participants were instructed to ignore the cues, studied cues produced the N2pc event-related potential, indicating early attentional orienting that was preferentially directed towards the studied cue versus the nonstudied cue. Critically, the N2pc was detectable within 170 ms, confirming that LTM ACSs rapidly control early capture. We propose an update to contemporary models of attentional capture to account for rapid attentional guidance by LTM ACSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The purpose of our review is to bridge the research gaps between cervid physiology and ecology by offering a comprehensive review of cervid visual ecology that emphasizes the interplay between the visual adaptations of cervids and their interactions with habitats and other species. Ultimately, a better understanding of cervid visual ecology allows researchers to gain deeper insights into their behavior and ecology, providing critical information for conservation and management efforts. This review examines the visual systems of cervids in relation to their ability to meet their ecological needs and how their visual systems are specialized for particular tasks. Cervidae encompasses a diverse group of mammals that serve as important ecological drivers within their ecosystems. Despite evidence of highly specialized visual systems, a large portion of cervid research ignores or fails to consider the realities of cervid vision as it relates to their ecology. Failure to account for an animal's visual ecology during research can lead to unintentional biases and uninformed conclusions regarding the decision making and behaviors for a species or population. Our review addresses core behaviors and their interrelationship with cervid visual characteristics. Historically, the study of cervid visual characteristics has been restricted to specific areas of inquiry such as color vision and contains limited integration into broader ecological and behavioral research. The purpose of our review is to bridge these gaps by offering a comprehensive review of cervid visual ecology that emphasizes the interplay between the visual adaptations of cervids and their interactions with habitats and other species. Ultimately, a better understanding of cervid visual ecology allows researchers to gain deeper insights into their behavior and ecology, providing critical information for conservation and management efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), a new cement-based material that offers high mechanical strength and good durability, has been widely applied in construction and rehabilitation projects in recent years. An optimum bending system is achieved by positioning the UHPC layer at the bottom tensile zone of the composite beam and placing the normal-strength concrete (NC) layer at the upper compression zone, which is described as the UHPC-NC composite beam. The fatigue behavior of reinforced UHPC-NC composite beams was described in this study, with an emphasis on the effects of UHPC layer thickness and fatigue load level on the fatigue life of the beam, deformation of the interface between UHPC and NC layers, as well as the bending stiffness of the beam. A total of 9 reinforced UHPC-NC composite beams were tested under cyclic loading. The test variables include UHPC layer thicknesses (zero, 200, and 360 mm), reinforcement ratios (1.184% and 1.786%), and the upper load levels (0.39~0.65). The results showed that good bonding had been achieved without delamination between UHPC and NC layers prior to the final fatigue failure of the beam, and the bending stiffness of the composite beam experienced a three-stage reduction under cyclic loading. Furthermore, an equation was proposed to predict the stiffness reduction coefficient of UHPC-NC composite beams under cyclic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a crucial method in organizational and social behavior research, self-report surveys must manage method bias. Method biases are distorted scores in survey response, distorted variance in variables, and distorted relational estimates between variables caused by method designs. Studies on method bias have focused on post hoc statistical control, but integrated analyses of the sociopsychological mechanism of method bias are lacking. This review proposes a framework for method bias and offers a relatively complete and detailed review of the sociopsychological and statistical mechanisms of four main types of method bias and their procedural remedies. This review proposes "reduce, remove, and rectify" as a guideline for researchers in survey design to address method bias. Finally, this review presents two directions for future methodology research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propensity score analysis is a common approach to addressing confounding in nonrandomized studies. Its implementation, however, requires important assumptions (e.g. positivity). The disease risk score (DRS) is an alternative confounding score that can relax some of these assumptions. Like the propensity score, the DRS summarizes multiple confounders into a single score, on which conditioning by matching allows the estimation of causal effects. However, matching relies on arbitrary choices for pruning out data (e.g. matching ratio, algorithm, and caliper width) and may be computationally demanding. Alternatively, weighting methods, common in propensity score analysis, are easy to implement and may entail fewer choices, yet none have been developed for the DRS. Here we present 2 weighting approaches: One derives directly from inverse probability weighting; the other, named target distribution weighting , relates to importance sampling. We empirically show that inverse probability weighting and target distribution weighting display performance comparable to matching techniques in terms of bias but outperform them in terms of efficiency (mean squared error) and computational speed (up to >870 times faster in an illustrative study). We illustrate implementation of the methods in 2 case studies where we investigate placebo treatments for multiple sclerosis and administration of aspirin in stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of human movement and non-movement behaviors is complex and multifaceted, making their study complicated and challenging. Thanks to the availability of wearable activity monitors, we can now monitor the full spectrum of physical activity, sedentary, and sleep behaviors better than ever before—whether the subjects are elite athletes, children, adults, or individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. The increasing volume of generated data, combined with the inherent complexities of human movement and non-movement behaviors, necessitates the development of new data analysis methods for the research of physical activity, sedentary, and sleep behaviors. The characteristics of machine learning (ML) methods, including their ability to deal with complicated data, make them suitable for such analysis and thus can be an alternative tool to deal with data of this nature. ML can potentially be an excellent tool for solving many traditional problems related to the research of physical activity, sedentary, and sleep behaviors such as activity recognition, posture detection, profile analysis, and correlates research. However, despite this potential, ML has not yet been widely utilized for analyzing and studying these behaviors. In this review, we aim to introduce experts in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep research—individuals who may possess limited familiarity with ML—to the potential applications of these techniques for analyzing their data. We begin by explaining the underlying principles of the ML modeling pipeline, highlighting the challenges and issues that need to be considered when applying ML. We then present the types of ML: supervised and unsupervised learning, and introduce a few ML algorithms frequently used in supervised and unsupervised learning. Finally, we highlight three research areas where ML methodologies have already been used in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep behavior research, emphasizing their successes and challenges. This paper serves as a resource for ML in physical activity, sedentary, and sleep behavior research, offering guidance and resources to facilitate its utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]