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Effect of exogenous salicylic acid spray on enhancing cold tolerance in ‘Northland’ blueberry plants under low-temperature stress

Blueberry is a small berry with significant economic value; however, in the northern regions of China, low temperatures severely affect blueberry growth during early spring. Salicylic acid (SA), an important phytohormone, plays a crucial role in various physiological and metabolic responses induced by abiotic stress. This study utilized 2-year-old ‘Northland’ blueberry plants as experimental materials to investigate the physiological responses to different concentrations of SA supplementation under low-temperature stress. The results indicated that SA concentration had varying effects on enhancing the cold resistance of blueberry plants under different low-temperature conditions. At a stress temperature of 4°C, a concentration of 2.5 mM SA was most effective in increasing the content of osmoregulatory substances, enhancing the activity of antioxidant system enzymes, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, up-regulating the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, and elevating the expression level of the VcICE1 compared to other concentrations. Conversely, under low-temperature stress below 0°C (including 0°C and −4°C), supplementation with 0.5 mM SA resulted in the most significant improvement compared to the control. Therefore, the study findings suggest that the application of 0.5 mM SA enhances the cold tolerance of blueberries. However, additional validation is required to ascertain its efficacy when applied in early spring fields in northern China.

Delay-aware chemotherapy dosing via online critic learning

An integrated risk assessment model for indoor air quality impacts on museum exhibits and human health using microclimatic indices and AgNPs treatment

The quality of indoor air in museums directly influences the conservation of exhibits made of organic materials, but also the health of visitors, employees and restorers. Thus, monitoring the microclimate and identifying non-invasive solutions to limit its impact becomes essential for the protection of movable cultural heritage. Thus, this study aims to monitor ten indicators of indoor air quality and their impact on exhibits, visitors and employees in a museum in Romania. The data obtained were analysed using specific indexes to accurately assess the indoor microclimate risk for both human health and the preservation of exhibits. The values obtained in terms of the indexes certify the stability in terms of the quality of the indoor air. Subsequently, six ethnographic fabric samples were tested to evaluate cleaning and preservation solutions based on silver nanoparticles, aiming to reduce microbial contamination and ensure sustainable protection of organic museum textiles. The results obtained indicate a moderate risk of degradation of exhibits, mainly caused by the increased relative humidity, which exceeded the limits recommended by the international standards in force. As for human health, the applied indices show that the indoor environment does not threaten human health in general, but it still records non-compliant values of the formaldehyde indicator. Also, ionic imbalance shows poor ventilation, associated with potential discomfort and negative cognitive effects. The application of silver nanoparticle treatment has proven effective in reducing microbiological contamination, providing a sustainable conservation solution, both immediately after application and after 30 days. The study highlights the importance of constant monitoring and control of environmental parameters to ensure optimal conditions for the conservation of material heritage and to prevent risks to human health in museum spaces.

A hybrid CNN-transformer framework optimized by Grey Wolf Algorithm for accurate sign language recognition

A controlled study of emotional dysfunction in adult women with ADHD

Objective Given the increased socio-emotional burden of ADHD symptoms in women, the current study examined the associations between ADHD symptoms, emotional dysregulation, and executive function deficits. We also examined two types of executive function deficits, working memory and task shifting, as potential mediators of the link between women’s ADHD symptoms and emotional dysregulation. Method The study included 176 women between 20 and 30 years of age. Of these, 82 reported a known diagnosis of ADHD, and 94 reported no known diagnosis. Participants completed questionnaires addressing the severity of ADHD symptoms, executive function deficits, emotional dysregulation, alexithymia, positive affect, and negative affect. Results Emotional dysregulation was associated with ADHD symptom severity and executive function deficits. Women with ADHD showed more frequent use of non-adaptive emotion regulation strategies, including negative affect and alexithymia, compared to women without ADHD symptoms. In addition, results showed that executive function deficits (in working memory and task shifting) mediated the relationship between ADHD symptoms and emotional dysregulation. Conclusions These findings add further support to the growing body of research suggesting that not only inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, but also emotional dysregulation are core components of ADHD. Shifting clinical attention to emotional dysregulation symptoms may improve the diagnosis and treatment of women’s ADHD.

Modulatory feedback determines attentional object segmentation in a model of the ventral stream

Studies in neuroscience inspired progress in the design of artificial neural networks (ANNs), and, vice versa, ANNs provide new insights into the functioning of brain circuits. So far, the focus has been on how ANNs can help to explain the tuning of neurons at various stages of the visual cortical hierarchy. However, the role of modulatory feedback connections, which play a role in attention and perceptual organization, has not yet been resolved. The present study presents a biologically plausible neural network that performs scene segmentation and can shift attention using modulatory feedback connections from higher to lower cortical brain areas. The model replicates several neurophysiological signatures of recurrent processing. Specifically, figural regions elicit more activity in model units than background regions. The modulation of activity by figure and ground occurs at a delay after the first feedforward response, because it depends on a loop through the higher model areas. Importantly, the figural response enhancement is amplified by object-based attention, which stays focused on the figural regions and does not spill over to the adjacent background, just as is observed in the visual cortex. Our results indicate how progress in artificial intelligence can be used to garner insight into the recurrent cortical processing for scene segmentation and object-based attention.

CtMYB1 regulates flavonoid biosynthesis in safflower flower by binding the CAACCA elements

Background Safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a valuable herb known for its flowers, which are rich in flavonoids and are used for promoting blood circulation and preventing atherosclerosis. However, the molecular regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis in safflower is still poorly understood. In this study, we identified a AtMYB12 homologous gene, CtMYB1 , in safflower and characterized its sequence. The flower protoplast transient expression system and virus-induced gene silence (VIGS) technique were established in safflower and we tested the role of CtMYB1 in the regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis. The correlation between CtMYB1 and flavonoid synthesis genes was analyzed using a molecular interaction assay. Results Flower protoplasts transient expression showed that flavonoid biosynthesis genes CtC4H2 , CtF3H4 , and CtHCT12 were upregulated after transfection with CtMYB1 . Meanwhile, VIGS showed that the transfected petals were lighter in color, and there was a decrease in the amount of the major component Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) compared to the control. Yeast one-hybrid experiments demonstrate that CtMYB1 can bind to the promoters of flavonoid biosynthesis genes ( CtC4H2 , CtF3H4 ). The interaction analysis by the use of Biacore system revealed that CtMYB1 binds to the CAACCA element of flavonoid biosynthesis genes promoters. Conclusions CtMYB1 regulates flavonoid biosynthesis in safflower flower by binding the CAACCA elements of flavonoid biosynthesis related genes promoters, which sheds light on the molecular regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis in safflower. The flower protoplasts expression system and the VIGS system established in safflower are valuable tools for studying the function of genes involved in the regulation and biosynthesis of active compounds in safflower.

Improved predictive formulae for wave overtopping at sloped breakwaters using interpretable machine learning models

Accurate prediction of mean wave overtopping discharge is essential for the safe and cost-effective design of coastal defence structures. While traditional empirical, physical, and numerical models remain important, Machine Learning (ML) has recently emerged as a powerful complementary tool. This study presents a ML–based framework to predict mean wave overtopping discharge at sloped breakwaters, with a focus on both predictive accuracy and model interpretability, supported by a series of structured pre- and post-processing steps. Five ML algorithms were evaluated: two decision tree–based models, i.e., Random Forest (RF) and Gradient Boosted Decision Trees (GBDT), and three kernel-based models, i.e., Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR). The models were trained and validated using the EurOtop (2018) dataset on sloped breakwaters. Among them, GPR yielded the best predictive performance, achieving an R² of 0.80 and the lowest RMSE, MAE, and RAE values (0.100, 0.013, and 0.30, respectively), indicating a strong agreement with observed data. Feature importance analysis revealed that Relative Freeboard and Freeboard Deficit (FD) were the most influential parameters across the models. To enhance interpretability and practical usability, we translated the ML findings into mathematical expressions using polynomial regression and Genetic Programming (GP). A new set of simplified equations was developed to estimate mean overtopping discharge ( q ) based solely on FD, effectively modelling the relationship between FD and ln( q ) within the EurOtop dataset. The proposed formulae provide coastal engineers with a rapid, interpretable, and reliable tool for estimating mean wave overtopping, significantly enhancing design efficiency and decision-making under uncertainty. By bridging the gap between advanced data-driven techniques and practical engineering needs, this work advances the integration of ML into coastal infrastructure design and supports the development of more adaptive and climate-resilient defence systems.

The relationship between lay beliefs about the world and pandemic-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors

The Covid-19 pandemic created a strong need to understand how people can be motivated to engage in protective health behaviors (such as vaccination). Past research suggests that perceiving a health threat as serious and protective behaviors as beneficial increases people’s motivation to engage in protective behavior. However, perceptions of the seriousness of the threat and the effectiveness of protective behavior can be ambiguous in the context of a novel, global pandemic. Research on climate change suggests that people’s core understanding of the world (as either stable and unchangeable or dynamic and influenced by humans) influence whether people perceive such abstract threats to be serious and protective behaviors to be effective on a large scale. Across five online studies ( N  = 1663), we investigated the correlational relationship and causal effect of these lay beliefs about the world on beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral inclinations regarding both Covid-19 and a hypothetical pandemic scenario. The results did not support a causal effect of lay beliefs about the world, but consistently showed correlational relationships. A sixth online study ( N  = 410) tested a possible reversed causal effect of pandemic-related behavior inclinations being justified by shifting one’s lay beliefs about the world accordingly. However, we did not find evidence for this effect either. These results indicate that lay beliefs about the world are associated with perceptions of pandemic health threats, but their causal role is unclear.

Explainable AI for sign language recognition models: Integrating Grad-Cam LIME and Integrated Gradients

Sign language recognition is crucial in bridging the communication gaps between hearing and deaf communities. In this study, we build on an existing sign language classification model based on the VGG19 architecture, enhancing its robustness through dataset augmentation and alternative data representations. We introduce a segmentation-based approach that utilizes hand masks generated by the U-Net model, replacing depth images to mitigate noise and improve classification accuracy. We use an Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) approach that incorporates Grad-CAM, LIME, and integrated gradients methods to interpret the model’s decision-making process, ensuring transparency and reliability in real-world applications. Our comparative analysis between Red-Green-Blue (RGB) and mask-based models demonstrates that while the RGB model benefits from richer texture and color information, the mask-based model effectively focuses on hand shape and structure. The integration of XAI further validates our results by highlighting key regions of the image that influence the model’s predictions and by enabling a multi-perspective analysis that captures complementary aspects of the input, including region-based attention, pixel-level attribution, and structural shape analysis, thereby facilitating a deeper understanding of the model’s internal representations and potential failure modes. This work contributes to advancing American Sign Language recognition by improving model generalisation and explainability, ultimately fostering greater trust and usability in assistive technologies.

Association of cognitive reserve with 9-year domain-specific cognitive trajectories and risk of cognitive impairment in Mexican older adults

Cognitive reserve (CR) refers to the adaptation of cognitive performance to endure brain pathology or the aging process. CR can be categorized into static (education and occupation) or dynamic (leisure and physical activities) proxies. Typically, longitudinal studies assess CR as a composite score at baseline and cognitive performance as a global score. This study aimed to compare the relationship between different CR proxies (static and dynamic) with 9-year domain-specific cognitive trajectories, and the risk of cognitive impairment in older adults. Data from the latest four waves of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS; n = 3102, baseline mean age = 66.62 years) were used. Mixed effects models were performed with CR as independent variables and cognitive trajectories (verbal memory encoding and retrieval, verbal fluency, constructional praxis, visual attention, and memory) as outcomes. Education and leisure activities were significant positive predictors of all cognitive domains. Physical activities were a positive predictor of verbal fluency and verbal memory encoding only. Occupation was a positive predictor of verbal fluency and visual attention. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between CR and the risk of cognitive impairment, where education (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.76, 0.83), occupational complexity (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.95), and leisure activities (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95, 0.97) were significant protective factors. Increasing the years of education can serve as a preventive strategy to delay the clinical manifestation of cognitive impairment while implementing leisure activities can act as an intervention to promote cognition even in later years.

Utilization of genomic services among physicians in Kenya

Background With the advancement of technology in genomics and mainstreaming of genomics across all specialties of medicine, physicians will be required to play a pivotal role in coordinating and providing primary genetic services. Objective To describe the delivery of basic genetic services among physicians in Kenya and factors affecting the integration of genomic medicine into their practice. Materials and methods This was an online, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted among registered physicians practicing in Kenya and physicians-in-training (registrars) at the University of Nairobi, using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. The following domains were assessed: delivery of genetic services, attitudes and perceptions towards genetics, barriers to the delivery of genomic services, knowledge of genetics and physicians’ demographics. Simple random sampling method was used to recruit participants for the study. Descriptive analysis methods were used for data analysis. The data was summarized using frequencies and proportions. Results The response rate was 41%, with 190 of the 464 eligible physicians completing the survey. Eighty-seven percent of respondents had not received formal training in genetics, with 80% reporting involvement in the evaluation of genetic patients. Physicians’ involvement in genetic testing and pharmacogenomics was low at 31% and 29% respectively. Sixty-four percent of the respondents graded their knowledge of genetics as moderate. Participants identified limited access to medical geneticist (80%), lack of referral guidelines (86%), high cost of genetic services (93%), and inadequate knowledge of genetics as barriers to genetic service delivery. Conclusion Uptake of genomic service provision to patients by physicians remains low due to inadequate genetics training, limited number of specialists, in genetics and prohibitive costs of genomic testing. Mitigation of these factors is required to improve access to genetic care.

Differential effects of synthetic estrogen on serum homocysteine levels before and after menopause

Homocysteine (Hcy), a sulfur-containing amino acid, is produced in prodigious quantities by the methionine cycle in the liver. Hcy is the major biomarker for cardio-vascular disorders and is associated with many other diseases. In previous work, we have explained why menstruating women have lower serum homocysteine than men due to higher concentrations of estradiol. In this study, we first present epidemiological evidence from NHANES data that synthetic estradiol supplementation lowers serum Hcy in post-menopausal women, but raises Hcy in pre-menopausal women. Secondly, we give an explanation of this puzzling phenomenon using previously developed mathematical models of one-carbon and glutathione metabolism. The simulation analysis demonstrated that the non-monotonic response of glutathione to rising estradiol levels may account for the differing Hcy responses to estradiol supplementation in postmenopausal versus premenopausal women, through activation of cystathionine β-synthase, a key enzyme regulating tissue homocysteine levels. Our findings further highlight the importance of considering menopausal status and synthetic hormone use when evaluating the health effects of homocysteine.

Caste- and age-specific venom composition of biogenic amines and the influence of diet in honey bees

The chemical composition of the venom in social Hymenoptera differs between castes and ages. Biogenic amines are contained in the venom of honey bees and may be physiologically effective to vertebrate predators and insects. This study quantified the concentrations of biogenic amines in venom and compared them between different castes and ages of honey bees. The concentrations of dopamine and N -acetyldopamine in venom were significantly higher in virgin queens than workers of the same age. The concentrations of dopamine, norepinephrine, tyramine and serotonin increased with age in virgin queens and workers. There was a significant positive correlation between venom dopamine concentrations and ovarian development in queenless workers, suggesting that the concentration of dopamine in the venom transformed from normal workers to reproductive females as that in virgin queens. We also tested the possibility of dietary effects on the concentration of dopamine in venom. Workers fed tyrosine or royal jelly showed significantly higher concentrations of dopamine precursors, tyrosine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and dopamine in the hemolymph, as well as higher concentrations of dopamine in venom than in controlled workers. These results suggest that compositions of biogenic amines in venom are influenced by nutrition and change based on their social roles in honey bee society.

A Trifunctional, Rare-Earth Theranostic Chelator Platform to Enable Diagnostic Nuclear Imaging, Surgical Resection, and Radiotherapy

Exploring how infectious diseases control interventions are delivered in low-income urban communities in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review protocol

Infectious diseases thrive in densely populated low-income urban communities where living conditions, hygiene, and access to health services are sub-optimal. Information on how to adapt infectious diseases control interventions to be effective in these settings is limited. The proposed scoping review will follow Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and the PRISMA methodology adapted for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Research questions were created using the Person, Concept, Context (PCC) framework. In this study, person refers to low-income urban communities, concept refers to community-based infectious disease interventions adapted to their setting, and the context is low- and middle-income countries. Relevant papers published after 2000 will be retrieved using a search strategy that incorporates all the PCC topics. Searches will be made in four databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health (all via Ovid), and Web of Science. Duplicates will be identified and removed with EndNote 20, and all articles will be uploaded into Covidence for screening in two stages using pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quantitative and qualitative data will be extracted into Excel spreadsheets and analyzed. Our review will identify different approaches that have been taken to adapt infectious disease interventions in low-income urban communities of LMICs that can be further tested in future programs and studies. We will also highlight methods that have been used to study such interventions in their context.

Atomistic Mechanism of Calcium-Mediated Inward Rectification of the MthK Potassium Channel by Solid-State NMR and MD Simulations

Agri-food supply chain resilience: An exploration of influencing factors based on fuzzy-DEMATEL-ISM analysis

Increasingly frequent disruptions from diseases, disasters, and human activities pose a significant challenge to the resilience of the agri-food supply chain (AFSCRE). This study systematically explores the factors influencing AFSCRE and their mechanisms of action by integrating fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM). Based on bibliometrics and expert interviews, a three-dimensional indicator system (12 key factors) contains flexibility, agility, and visibility. Triangular fuzzy numbers were used to process expert rating data, and combined with the Converting Fuzzy Numbers into Crisp Scores (CFCS) defuzzification method to establish a total influence matrix. The strength of the influence relationships between factors was determined through the setting of appropriate thresholds, which ultimately results in a five-layer hierarchical structure. The research results show that: level of application of digital technologies, information system maturity, information sharing and synergies, data sharing and analysis capacity and risk management capacity constitute the deep driving factors; degree of simplification of the supply chain structure and level of inventory management are the direct surface factors, presenting isolated characteristics. The study proposes resilience enhancement strategies such as supplier diversification, blockchain traceability technology embedding, and multi-body collaborative decision-making mechanisms, which provide decision support for coping with climate change and public health emergencies.

Dynamic Electromerism: Correlated Rotational and <i>Cross</i> -Conjugation Dynamics in DAMN (DiAminoMaleoNitrile) and DAFN (DiAminoFumaroNitrile) Derivatives

The eye, a spy hole on human mind: Spontaneous blink rate and amplitude, and their variability, as new psychobiological markers of anxiety

Spontaneous blink is a behavioral index that proved to represent an interesting window on the human brain and mind. It can be easily extracted from the electroencephalogram, eye-tracking or video-recording. In past studies Blink Rate (BR) was found to be modulated by attention, emotion, and fatigue. We added to current research by testing some new blink-related measures (Blink Amplitude-BA, Blink Rate Variability-BRV and Blink Amplitude Variability-BAV) that could represent valid biomarkers of state and trait anxiety. We measured blinking at rest using the vertical electrooculogram extracted from the EEG recordings collected from 50 healthy female students and correlated it with their State and Trait Anxiety scores. We also correlated anxiety with the individual blinking measured during an emotional film viewing session. During resting state a good correlation among the four blink measures was found but, concerning individual differences, a significant correlation emerged only between BA and State Anxiety (R 48 = 0.288). This result is strikingly similar to that found in our past study between startle reflex amplitude and State Anxiety, and suggests that BA might represents a more ecological and easier correlate of anxiety than startle. During film viewing the correlation among blink measures was greater with respect to resting state. In addition, correlation between BA and State Anxiety was greater (R 44 = 0.557), but also BR and BRV indexes were significantly correlated with State Anxiety (R 44 = 0.418 and R 44 = −0.357 respectively). Interestingly, during clip vision the correlation between BA and Trait Anxiety became significant (R 44 = 0.354) but this effect was mediated by State Anxiety. Our results reveal how these blinking indexes are promising markers of anxiety. In particular, BA was the most effective biomarker of State Anxiety, but under specific conditions, also of Trait Anxiety. This fosters the use of blink measures in minimally invasive paradigms and experiments with ecological setting.