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Interactive effects of mating receptivity and courtship pheromones on the scent preferences of female red-legged salamanders
The behavioral and endocrine responses elicited by pheromones are highly dependent on the sex and physiology of the receiving individual. In the red-legged salamander ( Plethodon shermani ), male courtship pheromones influence female mating behavior and regulate the timing of courtship. Pheromones also modulate female feeding behavior and scent preference in this species, but little is known about how the physiological state of females may influence their olfactory preferences. The aim of this study was to use laboratory trials to investigate whether differences in female receptivity influence the effect pheromones have on female scent preference. Our first experiment showed that pheromone treatment significantly increased the time females spent on male-scented substrate compared to both female scent and water. In a second experiment, female P. shermani with differing levels of mating receptivity were treated with either saline or pheromone and assayed for the relative time spent on each of three scents (male scent, food scent, and water). When females were treated with saline, their preference for male scent was positively correlated with mating receptivity. Application of pheromone also increased preference for male scent, but this effect was greater in females with lower receptivity. Pheromone treatment also decreased preference for food scent and was significantly pronounced in females with higher receptivity. These results suggest that courtship pheromones in P. shermani may have dual roles in regulating female preferences based on baseline mating receptivity, further suggesting a complex interplay between male courtship pheromones and female preference dynamics.
Affective touch and face recognition: effects on memory and metacognitive performance
Abstract Episodic memories can be shaped by various contextual factors. While social and sensory cues such as odors and music have been shown to influence encoding and retrieval, the role of tactile information remains unclear. In this preregistered study, we investigated the effects of affective touch on face memory. 57 healthy adults (40 women) completed the Cambridge Face Memory Tests and the Social Touch Questionnaire to assess general face recognition ability and attitudes toward social touch. During encoding, participants viewed neutral faces while receiving either static, dynamic, or no touch from a hidden experimenter and rated each face’s attractiveness and trustworthiness. Recognition was tested two days later. Outcome measures included recognition accuracy, metacognitive sensitivity (i.e., the ability of confidence ratings to distinguish between correct and incorrect responses), and judgments of attractiveness and trustworthiness. No significant differences emerged between touch conditions, and neither face recognition ability nor attitudes toward touch moderated these effects. Bayesian analyses provided moderate to strong evidence for the absence of touch effects on recognition accuracy and confidence ratings, whereas evidence regarding metacognitive sensitivity and trustworthiness evaluations was inconclusive. Overall, the findings suggest that brief social touch in a controlled laboratory context has limited measurable effects on face memory, and that richer social context may be required for touch to influence memory processes.
Modelling the risk of professional disengagement from a cohort study of 181,676 workers in the south of France
Objective This study determines a set of medical, occupational, and social risk factors of professional disengagement that can be documented early in occupational health practice. Method This study was carried out on a cohort of French workers. Data were extracted from computerised occupational health medical follow up records. The professional disengagement risk was assessed by healthcare professionals. Logistic regression models were applied. Results 181,676 workers were included. Of these, 4.05% had a high professional disengagement risk index (PDRI) and 13.0% a moderate risk. Women (OR: 1.21) and 50–61-year-old (OR: 5.17) workers appear to be the most at high risk. White-collar (OR: 1.63) and blue-collar (OR: 1.60) have a higher at risk compared with manager. The main disorder risk factors of high PDRI were mental disorders (OR: 8.79), musculoskeletal disorders including shoulder (OR: 6.23), arm (OR: 3.80), or hand (OR: 3.21) and kidney disorders (OR: 5.57). Recognition of a professional disengagement (OR: 7.55) or long/iterative sick leave (OR: 5.08) is associated with high PDRI. Occupational exposure associated with high PDRI include “poor interpersonal relationships” (OR: 6.05), “job insecurity” (OR: 4.14) and “conflicts of values” (OR: 3.88). Exposure to noise (OR: 1.33) and heavy work (OR: 1.25) are associated with a high PDRI, however some physical exposures appear to be ‘protective’ such as lower limb postures (OR: 0.68) or whole-body vibrations (OR: 0.64). Conclusions Mental and musculoskeletal disorders, poor working relationships, job insecurity and conflicts of values all appear to be avoidable risk factors for professional disengagement These results reinforce the importance of targeted prevention and orientates future research to refine the accuracy of the variables and better distinguish gradients and thresholds of risk. What is already known Numerous studies have investigated the factors facilitating or limiting a return to work after professional disengagement. What this study adds This study highlights the medical and professional factors which should be early documented to prevent professional disengagement.
Impacts of land use/land cover change on ecosystem service values in the Dinki Watershed, central highlands of Ethiopia
Completeness as a fitness landscape for cognitive architectures
Correction: Copper technology in the Arabah during the Iron Age and the role of the indigenous population in the industry
A hybrid spiking convolutional neural framework with extreme learning machine for enhanced anomaly detection in network security
CAPG serves as a prognostic biomarker and promotes proliferation and migration in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
The actin-binding protein CAPG (Capping Actin Protein, Gelsolin Like) is implicated in oncogenesis, but its role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unclear. This study combined bioinformatic analysis of TCGA/GEO datasets, immunohistochemistry on clinical samples, and functional in vitro assays to define CAPG’s significance in PDAC. We found CAPG significantly overexpressed in PDAC tissues (n = 179 tumor vs. 171 normal, p < 0.05), with levels correlating with advanced tumor stage (T3 vs. T1) and predicting poorer overall (p = 0.0085) and disease-free (p = 0.015) survival. In vitro, siRNA-mediated CAPG knockdown in PANC-1 and AsPC-1 cells markedly inhibited proliferation (CCK-8 assay) and migration (wound healing assay), and significantly sensitized cells to gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, CAPG knockdown was associated with reduced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and Cyclin D1 expression, and ERK1/2 inhibition phenocopied the anti-proliferative and chemosensitizing effects. Our results establish CAPG as a negative prognostic biomarker in PDAC, demonstrate its critical role in driving proliferation and migration—potentially via modulating ERK pathway activity—and highlight its promise as a therapeutic target whose inhibition can enhance chemotherapy efficacy.
Immunogenomic classification reveals prognostic immune signatures in pediatric solid and hematological tumors
Study on coal wall spalling mechanism of large mining height working face based on folding mutation theory
$$\beta$$-plane correction for eddy detection and the drivers of eddy activity heterogeneity in a semi-closed maritime continent basin
Abstract The Indonesian seas, located within the Maritime Continent, are characterized by complex topography, narrow straits, and some of the warmest sea surface temperatures (SSTs) globally. Eddy activity in this region is strongly influenced by monsoonal winds, the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF), Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and local bathymetry, producing seasonal patterns that differ from those of the open Pacific and Indian Oceans. Most existing eddy detection methods, however, were designed for mid-latitude regions and neglect equatorial corrections to the Coriolis parameter. This study introduces a localized $$\beta$$ -plane correction to improve Coriolis parameter estimation for eddy detection in equatorial waters, applied to three decades (1993–2022) of satellite-derived sea level anomaly data. Using a modified Winding Angle (WA) method, we identified 8,435 anticyclonic eddies (AEs) and 8,126 cyclonic eddies (CEs), with 7,656 AEs and 7,415 CEs confirmed as persistent features based on the Okubo - Weiss (OW) parameter. Eddy sizes were predominantly 60–80 km, with mesoscale eddies concentrated in the northern sector of the domain and along its eastern and southern boundaries. Seasonal variability was evident: AEs peaked during the southeast monsoon (June–August), while CEs dominated during the northwest monsoon (December-February) with stable size. During the eddy-minimum season, high-vorticity CEs formed at lower latitudes than AEs. Regionally, the Java Sea and North Natuna Sea hosted the most energetic eddies during the southeast monsoon, whereas the Sulu, Celebes, Maluku, and Banda Seas emerged as key eddy formation zones. Although eddies were generally short-lived (21–28 days), they contributed substantially to regional energy variability. The spatio–temporal heterogeneity of eddy activity reflects the combined influence of monsoonal wind forcing, SST gradients, and bathymetric constraints, which jointly regulate eddy generation, propagation, and decay. Eddy occurrence also exhibits a hemispheric asymmetry that coincides with ITCZ displacement. These results underscore the coupled atmosphere–ocean processes shaping mesoscale variability in one of the world’s most dynamic tropical marine environments.
Numerical analysis and engineering application of bolt support technology for controlling coal body sliding
Prompt engineering competence, knowledge management, and technology fit as drivers of educational sustainability through generative AI
Hybrid expansion methods for fractional non-linear mathematical systems with Erdelyi-Kober derivative operators in theory of tsunami wave modeling
Resilient virtual inertia strategy for frequency support of renewable-based microgrids using a variable structure fuzzy PID controller
Abstract Ensuring frequency stability in low-inertia microgrids with high penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) is a critical challenge, as these sources lack physical inertia and generate variable, unpredictable power. This leads to amplified frequency deviations, further aggravated by nonlinearities and stochastic behavior. Virtual inertia control, which emulates the inertial response of synchronous generators using energy storage, has emerged as a promising solution. However, conventional approaches often lack the responsiveness and robustness required to manage RES uncertainties and system nonlinearities, thereby limiting their effectiveness in dynamic environments. Moreover, the application of variable structure fuzzy logic controllers for load frequency control in renewable-dominated, low-inertia microgrids remains largely underexplored. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a variable structure fuzzy proportional–integral–derivative (VSC-FPID) controller designed for virtual inertia support in low-inertia microgrids. The proposed controller is tested under diverse loading scenarios and nonlinear conditions to ensure comprehensive evaluation. Its parameters are optimally tuned using the particle swarm optimization algorithm to guarantee efficient and robust dynamic performance. Comparative analysis with conventional PID and fuzzy-PID controllers demonstrates the superior capability of the VSC-FPID controller. Simulation results conducted in MATLAB confirm its robustness in regulating frequency under load fluctuations, RES uncertainties, and nonlinear system dynamics, including severe low-inertia and worst-case operating conditions involving simultaneous load and renewable disturbances. The proposed controller consistently outperforms benchmark methods, significantly improving transient and steady-state performance. Specifically, it achieves notable reductions in overshoot, undershoot, and settling time, with up to 60% improvement compared to the nearest competing technique. These results highlight the potential of the VSC-FPID-based virtual inertia control strategy as an effective solution for enhancing frequency stability in renewable-rich, low-inertia microgrids.