Browse Articles

Listening to a Consonant Chord Progression during Live Face-to-Face Gaze Enhances Neural Activity in Social Systems

Although music has been associated with increased prosocial behavior, the underlying mechanisms for music-facilitated social benefits are not known. We test the hypothesis that chord progressions promote social bonding between dyads by shared temporal alignment of frequency spectra. Two musical conditions were presented to 20 pairs of participants (equal numbers of males and females), one with either a structured chord or predictable progression and the other with an unstructured and unpredictable composition of the same notes. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy signals were recorded simultaneously from both partners during the music conditions with and without gazing at a live partner's face. The right angular gyrus, right somatosensory association cortex, and bilateral dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex increased activation during live face gaze combined with the structured chord progression condition. Further, subjective ratings of subjective connectedness were associated with both activity in the right superior and middle temporal gyri during face gaze and the right angular gyrus during chord progressions. These findings link live face-to-face gaze while listening to structured chord progressions to neural systems that are responsive to predictive alignment of co-occurring acoustic spectra and perceptions of social connectedness.

Neurochemical Correlates of Mind-Wandering and Meta-Awareness

Mind-wandering frequently occurs throughout daily life, diverting attention away from both goal-oriented behavior and internal mental operations. The experience of mind-wandering varies in both the degree to which an individual is aware of their attentional state (meta-awareness) and the extent of their intention to mind-wander. Prior research links mind-wandering with the brain's default mode network. However, the association between mind-wandering and the concentration of excitatory (glutamate) and inhibitory (GABA +) neurotransmitters has largely been unexplored. Here, in 46 (34 females and 12 males) human participants, we employed 7T magnetic resonance spectroscopy to explore associations between neurochemicals in the left prefrontal cortex (PFC), right intraparietal sulcus, and right primary motor cortex (M1) and subtypes of mind-wandering. Across three behavioral paradigms, we employed self-caught mind-wandering probes as a proxy measure for meta-aware mind-wandering and probe-caught to assess mind-wandering that occurs without meta-awareness. Results showed that mind-wandering associations with neurochemical concentrations varied by brain region, cognitive task, and the nature of mind-wandering. Specifically, self-caught mind-wandering during the two-back task and probe-caught mind-wandering during the finger-tapping random sequence generation task (FT-RSGT) were associated with neurochemical concentrations in the PFC. In addition, intentional mind-wandering was associated with GABA + in M1 for the two-back (probe-caught) and FT-RSGT (self-caught). Unintentional mind-wandering was as associated with E/I balance in the PFC for the FT-RSGT (probe-caught) and two-back (self-caught). These findings provide insights into the neurochemical basis of mind-wandering. The propensity to mind-wander, as well as meta-awareness and intentionality of mind-wandering, appears to depend on the demands of different tasks.

Alpha Oscillations Track the Projection of Reactivated Memories into Conscious Awareness

By definition, episodic memory is a conscious phenomenon. Memory traces reactivated by the hippocampus and reinstated in the sensory cortices need to enter conscious awareness for them to be re-experienced and overtly recalled. However, it remains unclear whether such reactivation in-and-of-itself ensures that memories will be overtly recalled. To investigate this, magnetoencephalography recordings were analyzed from 31 participants (18 females, 13 males) completing a video–word paired-associates memory task. When combining linear classifiers and spectral analyses, sensory cortical reactivation could be observed without overt recall occurring, suggesting reactivation does not guarantee overt recall. Instead, overt recall was additively predicted by (1) an increase in reactivated representations rhythmically fluctuating within the alpha band and (2) a decrease in total sensory neocortical alpha power. These results are consistent with accounts which propose that reactivation benefits from desynchronizing the network to provide representational space for stimulus-specific information and/or amplifying stimulus-specific information above residual noise. Altogether, these results suggest that representational reactivation can occur without overt recall and suggest a role for alpha oscillations in projecting internally generated representations into conscious awareness.

PsAvh109 suppresses SA-triggered immunity by mimicking TPL function to disrupt mediator complex assembly

ATP synthase is a promising target for identifying activated and non-activated adipose tissues

Abstract Adipose tissue has gained increasing attention as a therapeutic target to combat human obesity and related metabolic disorders. We propose ATP synthase as a target to identify activated and non-activated adipose tissue. We investigated ATP synthase using the radiotracer [ 11 C]J147 and confirmed the specificity of the radiotracer by in vitro autoradiography, cell knockdown studies, and in vivo competition binding studies. In addition to the interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT), [ 11 C]J147 could visualise several other BAT depots (supraspinal, infrascapular and axillary BAT) via in vivo positron emission tomography imaging after activation with a β 3 -adrenergic receptor agonist, as confirmed by immunohistochemistry and biodistribution studies. Furthermore, [ 11 C]J147 demonstrated higher sensitivity for BAT and WAT (white adipose tissue) identification compared to the commonly used radiotracer [ 18 F]FDG and the mitochondrial complex I tracer [ 18 F]BCPP-EF. Our study uncovers ATP synthase as a promising target for monitoring adipose tissue and [ 11 C]J147 could facilitate drug development for metabolic diseases such as obesity.

Remodeling synaptic connections via engineered neuron-astrocyte interactions

Abstract Information flow through synapses in the central nervous system is regulated by both rapid electrochemical activity and slower structural remodeling. While technological advances allow precise manipulation of synaptic activity, methods for structural remodeling remain limited. Here, we present SynTrogo (Synthetic Trogocytosis), a synthetic molecular approach for modulating synaptic connections. By engineering complementary ligand and receptor proteins, we enable physical interaction between two defined cell populations in culture, leading to a trogocytosis-like process in which receptor-expressing cells internalize membrane fragments and adjacent cytosolic material from ligand-expressing cells. Applying SynTrogo to hippocampal CA3 neurons and CA1 astrocytes in adult male mice results in ultrastructural changes at axon-astrocyte interfaces, accompanied by significantly reduced synaptic connectivity. The remaining synapses exhibit coordinated pre- and post-synaptic structural changes and reorganization of synaptic components and organelles, and are associated with enhanced synaptic plasticity and memory performance. These findings suggest that neural circuits can undergo adaptive reshaping under conditions of synaptic reduction and may provide a foundation for editing synaptic architecture with therapeutic potential for connectopathies.

Modelling the impact of dominant transport pathways on Antarctic Krill fishing activity in the Southern Ocean

Antarctic krill ( Euphasia superba ) are a key component in the Southern Ocean ecosystem, especially in the Atlantic sector, where the majority of the population is concentrated. The Norwegian commercial krill fishery exclusively targets three subareas in the Antarctic: the western Antarctic Peninsula, and the northern shelves of both the South Orkney Islands and South Georgia. Given it’s reliance on oceanic transport from other regions and the potential impact of rising sea temperatures on the northern habitat, the South Georgian krill population is particularly sensitive to altering environmental conditions. The relative distance from the peninsular regions to South Georgia means that choosing to trawl in this region implies a higher risk, which is why it is exclusively targeted in winter when extensive sea-ice makes peninsular regions unsafe and inaccessible to commercial fishery operations. In this article, we show that relative to operations at South Orkney and the Antarctic Pensinsula, average catches at South Georgia have been lower with higher variability over the past 15 years. Using a Lagrangian modelling approach, we illustrate that variability in advection from source regions in the Antarctic Peninsula are correlated with proceeding catch values at South Georgia. This was not the case for source release sites at the South Orkney Islands. The dominant transport pathways for krill were strongly determined by position of regional fronts and the source sites of recruits to South Georgia were related to the position of fronts at both the Antarctic Peninsula and South Orkney Islands. This study highlights the importance of advective patterns on the variability in krill fishing activity and supports the hypothesis that South Georgia is a sink region for krill in the Southern Ocean while the western Antarctic Peninsula is a central source site.

Chemical controls on iron distributions across the subsurface South Pacific Ocean

Abstract Iron and nitrogen are the primary nutrients that limit productivity in the ocean. While nitrogen cycling is largely controlled by biology, iron cycling is strongly determined by chemistry because iron losses are driven by abiotic formation of authigenic mineral iron. Here, we apply a mechanistic approach to examine how organic matter across the dissolved-particulate size spectrum controls authigenic iron formation in subsurface waters (>250 m) of the South Pacific Ocean. We find that accounting for the chemical heterogeneity of organic matter is essential for predicting widespread authigenic iron formation. Predicted dissolved and particulate iron concentrations matched observations in the ocean interior, while discrepancies were linked to kinetic control of authigenic iron formation or inputs of particles from the seafloor. Our work shows the need to represent the complexity of abiotic interactions to better resolve the interplay of chemical and biological controls on ocean iron cycling.

Correction: Trends and determinants of antenatal care use and quality in Bangladesh: Insights from demographic and health survey data

SUMO E3 ligase SIZ1 promotes nuclear condensate-mediated immune activation in Arabidopsis

Abstract SIZ1, a major plant SUMO E3 ligase, has diverse roles in development and immunity. Although loss-of-function phenotypes have categorized SIZ1 as a negative immune regulator, its broad substrate range complicates interpretation of its core function. Here we show that SIZ1 overaccumulation unexpectedly activates robust immune responses and cell death, dependent on its E3 ligase activity. Proximity-labeling proteomics revealed that SIZ1 function converges on the MOS4-Associated Complex (MAC), a critical immune signaling module that forms pro-immune nuclear condensates during pathogen attack. Both SIZ1 and the immune receptor SNC1 are recruited to MAC-dependent nuclear condensates (MDNCs) upon pathogen challenge, where they synergistically potentiate immune responses and cell death. SIZ1 SUMOylates and stabilizes MAC components, reinforcing MDNC formation and sustaining immune signaling. This mechanism counteracts the previously identified MDNC-inhibitory mechanism mediated by karyopherin KA120, establishing a regulatory system that balances immune-promoting condensate assembly with disassembly to prevent autoimmunity while maintaining rapid defense capacity.

Influence of riders’ physical activity on improving seat balance in the context of horse welfare – A pilot study

This study aimed to investigate the impact of gym exercises for riders on their posture and the subsequent effect on reducing discomfort for their horses during training, using electronic pressure sensors. The study involved 20 warmblood horses aged 5–10 years, regularly ridden under saddle, and four riders of similar height and body weight. The study group was divided into a control group (10 horses) and an experimental group (10 horses). The horses were trained 5 days a week for 60 days in total. Riders trained three times a week for approximately 60 minutes. The exercises were designed to improve the riders’ flexibility, mobility, and fitness. A pad with electronic pressure sensors was placed beneath the saddle to detect pressure force and changes in the rider’s position. The results clearly indicate that exercise has a positive impact on riders’ balance maintenance. In each analysed case, the experimental group observed a reduction in amplitude non-uniformity in the measurement performed upon completion of riders’ training. This method may help more easily assess seat irregularities and correct them through appropriately selected exercises. Improving the rider’s balance should significantly improve the horse’s comfort while riding.

Asymmetric dimeric assembly of Suv3 helicase facilitates processive RNA unwinding

Improving residents’ satisfaction with administrative boundary changes: A comparative analysis based on the township-town merger policy

Administrative boundary changes driven by policies are pivotal instruments for improving resource allocation efficiency. Studying the factors driving residents’ satisfaction with these policies is crucial for enhancing policy effectiveness. Based on field surveys in Lukou and Hengxi Subdistricts, this paper constructs a logit model to identify key determinants of residents’ satisfaction with the township-town merger policy (TMP) and applies the Fairlie decomposition to quantify the sources of satisfaction disparities between subdistricts. Results indicate that employment incentives, social security, and cultural development are the primary drivers of policy satisfaction and interregional differences, exerting greater influence than individual demographic traits. Mechanistically, the study reveals that the development approaches of different regions are strongly associated with policy satisfaction. Besides, residents in communities with stronger collective identity tend to evaluate policy outcomes through temporal comparisons with their own past, leading to higher satisfaction when improvements in social security and cultural preservation are evident. Conversely, in areas with weakened collective identity, residents form higher expectations through upward social comparisons with more developed neighboring subdistricts. When actual policy outcomes fall short of these expectations, satisfaction declines. These findings offer a micro-perspective on how top-down administrative boundary reforms affect public satisfaction, providing recommendations for policy design, sustainable governance, and regional planning.

Histone diversity in the archaeal domain of life

Abstract Two-thirds of all archaea encode histones, proteins that are ubiquitously used to structure chromatin in eukaryotes. Archaeal histone sequences are less conserved than their eukaryotic counterparts, and insight into how they structure DNA is limited to a few species that fail to represent the archaeal domain. Here, we use bioinformatics, structure prediction, and molecular dynamics simulations to survey the diversity of histone-like sequences in archaeal genomes and to understand how they might interact with DNA. We identify five distinct types of histones that combine in seven strategies, involving either single histones, multiple histones of the same type, or combinations of types in each genome. Some strategies correlate with environmental pressures and some are phylogenetically restricted. Despite highly divergent sequences, structure predictions and simulations suggest similar histone-DNA binding modes for most strategies. Our work provides a guide to surverying diverse strategies for histone-based DNA organization in archaea.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults accessing specialist psychiatric care: A cross-sectional Canadian analysis

Background The COVID-19 outbreak presented significant psychological challenges, placing individuals with pre-existing psychiatric conditions at disproportionate risk. Identifying the pandemic-related factors driving mental health outcomes in this population is essential to inform targeted interventions during future public health crises. Objectives To examine associations between COVID-19-related stressors and psychological symptom severity among Canadian adults with pre-existing mental health conditions during the first two years of the pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional study administered a web-based survey to outpatients accessing specialist psychiatric services in Toronto, Canada, between May 2020 and March 2022, aligning with the first five COVID-19 infection “waves” in the region. A series of linear regression models assessed associations between pandemic-related factors (COVID-19 fears, FCV-19S; consumed pandemic-related media; coping responses, Brief-COPE) and symptoms of anxiety (GAD-7) or depression (PHQ-9). Results 362 participants completed the self-report survey (70% female, mean age 33.8 ± 11.7). Anxiety (60.2%) and depression (59.1%) were the most frequently reported pre-existing psychiatric conditions. Depressive and anxious symptoms met thresholds for “moderate” severity during all five pandemic waves. Greater fear of COVID-19 was associated with increased symptoms of depression ( β  = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.22) and anxiety (β = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.35). Avoidant and emotion-oriented coping predicted increased psychological symptoms ( p  < .001), while problem-focused coping was associated with lower depression scores ( β  = −0.15, 95% CI: −0.28, −0.02). Frequency of pandemic-related media consumption showed no significant association with any psychological symptoms ( p  > .05). Conclusions Canadians with pre-existing mental health conditions experienced persistently elevated psychological symptoms throughout the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-related fear and maladaptive coping emerged as key drivers of symptom severity, while problem-focused coping showed a protective effect, suggesting modifiable treatment targets. Findings underscore the importance of interventions targeting fear attenuation and adaptive coping to protect psychiatric patients during a prolonged public health crisis. Future research should extend investigations globally to determine the broader mental health impact of pandemic stressors in patient populations. Ultimately, findings support the integration of sustained psychological support within emergency response protocols to mitigate the psychological burden of future pandemics and health crises.

Decoding immunotherapy response through computational modeling

Late Antique—Early Byzantine urban transformation in Mid-Northern Anatolia: A multiproxy approach from Pompeiopolis

During the 6th century CE, many Late Antique cities in the eastern Mediterranean—especially in Anatolia—underwent major changes. By the 7th century CE, most had gradually lost their urban functions. As populations declined, urban spaces were reused for domestic, industrial and rural purposes. This shift is visible in the archaeological record, through the abandonment and reuse of public spaces. At Zımbıllı Tepe-Pompeiopolis, located in in Paphlagonia (northern Anatolia), which was occupied during Late Antiquity and Medieval periods, architectural remains, artifacts, and radiocarbon (C14) dates from both public and private areas show patterns consistent with this broader urban transformation across Anatolia between the 6th and late 7th centuries. To better understand how the site transformed over time, we conducted micro-scale, multiproxy analysis. These included macrobotanical and microdebris studies, micromorphology, x-ray fluorescence (XRF), microscopic fourier transform infrared (micro-FTIR), and C14 dating, based on samples from a street sewer and a connected private latrine. Together, these datasets reveal the cultural and natural processes that shaped the site’s last occupation, its abandonment, and its post-abandonment transformation. The disuse and infilling of the sewer suggest a halt in public maintenance toward the end of the occupation, while the latrine’s earlier abandonment reflects gradual organizational changes already in the 6th century. This study provides a macro-and-micro-scale view of urban transformation during the 6th–7th centuries using a multiproxy approach, which remains rare in archaeological studies of this period in Anatolia.

Photothermal superhydrophobic and corrosion resistant titania microstructured surface for ice prevention and removal

Congratulations, it’s a risk factor! Varied social determinants of health at different ages of becoming a parent in Canada

Teen (<20 years of age) and young (<25 years of age) parents made up nearly 10% of new parents in Canada in 2023. Despite this, research on the socioeconomic and health outcomes of these young parents has declined significantly, alongside rates of young parenthood, over the past three decades. Current research on young parents often dichotomizes teen/young parenthood and/or excludes fathers from consideration. The present study addresses these two gaps by modelling age of parenthood as a continuous, nonlinear predictor and by including both mothers and fathers. Using 2017 Statistics Canada General Social Survey ( N = 6,282), we examined the associations between age of parenthood (age that an individual became a parent) and current education, self-rated health, self-rated mental health, life satisfaction, personal income, and household income. We expected that the earliest age of parenthood would be associated with significantly poorer outcomes, which would rapidly improve as age of parenthood increased, plateauing around the mid- to late-20s. Most hypotheses were supported: age of parenthood had a non-linear association with nearly all outcomes. Individuals who had their first child before the ages of 26 to 31 were significantly more likely to report lower income, poorer education, and lower self-rated health and mental health. These associations were nonlinear, and the associations of becoming a parent at 19 is comparable to 20. Further implications are discussed.

Probing universal phase diagram of dimensional crossover with an atomic quantum simulator