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The Spurious Prospective Associations Model (SPAM): Explaining longitudinal associations due to statistical artifacts
Analysis of longitudinal data often relies on models which can be prone to statistical artifacts. We have previously shown that several published prospective associations can be explained by a combination of a general association between constructs, imperfect measurement reliability, and regression to the mean. Here, we formalize our analysis of this type of statistical artifact and introduce the Spurious Prospective Associations Model (SPAM). We show that the SPAM performs better than adjusted cross-lagged effects models to explain several observed prospective associations, including new examples involving loneliness and social anxiety and resilience and depressive symptoms, without assuming any true increasing or decreasing effects between constructs over time. Moreover, unlike the models we challenge, the SPAM is consistent with seemingly paradoxical findings indicating simultaneous increasing and decreasing effects between constructs. We conclude that the SPAM agrees well with observed data and is better supported than competing adjusted cross-lagged effects models in the cases investigated here.
Cellular cartography reveals mouse prostate organization and determinants of castration resistance
Inadequate response to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) frequently arises in prostate cancer, driven by cellular mechanisms that remain poorly understood. Here, we integrated single-cell RNA sequencing, single-cell multiomics, and spatial transcriptomics to define the transcriptional, epigenetic, and spatial basis of cell identity and castration response in the mouse prostate. Leveraging these data along with a meta-analysis of human prostates and prostate cancer (PCa), we identified cellular orthologs and key determinants of ADT response and resistance. Our findings reveal that mouse prostates harbor lobe-specific luminal epithelial cell types distinguished by unique gene regulatory modules and anatomically defined androgen-responsive transcriptional programs, indicative of divergent developmental origins. Androgen-insensitive, stem-like epithelial populations—resembling human club and hillock cells—are notably enriched in the urethra and ventral prostate but are rare in other lobes. Within the ventral prostate, we also uncovered two additional androgen-responsive luminal epithelial cell types, marked by Pbsn or Spink1 expression, which align with human luminal subsets and may define the origin of distinct PCa subtypes. Castration profoundly reshaped luminal epithelial transcriptomes, with castration-resistant luminal epithelial cells activating stress-responsive and stemness programs. These transcriptional signatures are enriched in tumor cells from ADT-treated and castration-resistant PCa patients, underscoring their likely role in driving treatment resistance. Temporal tracking of cells will precisely map disease-associated cellular transitions, and our technical framework facilitates such interrogations. Collectively, our comprehensive cellular atlas of the mouse prostate illuminates the importance of lobe-specific contexts for PCa modeling and reveals potential therapeutic targets to counter castration resistance.
A mechanical route for cooperative transport in autonomous robotic swarms
Foliar spray of carbon quantum dots alleviated cadmium stress in Dracocephalum Moldavica by altering physiological and biochemical responses
Effectiveness of Peer-assisted learning in medical education: A meta-analysis study
The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the effects of peer-assisted learning (PAL) and traditional teaching methods on the theoretical knowledge and practical skill education in clinical medicine by summarizing the relevant randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies reported to date. A comprehensive search was conducted across several medical literature databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Springer, Ovid, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and China Biology Medicine Disc (CBMdisc). All pertinent articles, reviews, and references published from January 1970 to May 2023 were analyzed using Review Manager 5.4 software. A total of 81 RCTs were included in this analysis. The findings indicated that PAL surpassed traditional teaching methods in enhancing the transfer of theoretical knowledge and the acquisition of practical skills, especially in terms of student satisfaction and acceptance. It was also observed that, although PAL displayed advantages in certain areas, its effectiveness might not be substantial in fields demanding high levels of specialized knowledge. Furthermore, the reliability of the findings could be constrained by small sample sizes and inadequate implementation of blinding methods. Consequently, it is concluded that PAL is an effective and promising teaching method. Nonetheless, more rigorous research is required in the future to comprehensively explore the role of PAL in medical education.
The nonadaptive advantage: Why our brains can’t quit gaming
Human protein synthesis requires aminoacyl-tRNA pivoting during proofreading
Abstract Rigorous studies have characterized the aa-tRNA selection mechanism in bacteria, which is essential for maintaining translational fidelity. Recent investigations have identified critical distinctions in humans, such as the requirement of subunit rolling and a tenfold slower proofreading step. Although these studies captured key intermediates involved in tRNA selection, they did not elucidate the transitions of aa-tRNA between intermediates. Through diverse structure-based simulations, we simulated 1856 aa-tRNA accommodation events into the human ribosomal A site. Here we show the requirement for a distinct ~30° pivoting of aa-tRNA about the anticodon stem within the accommodation corridor. This pivoting is crucial for navigating the crowded accommodation corridor, which becomes more constrained due to subunit rolling. Subunit rolling-dependent crowding increases the steric contributions of the accommodation corridor during aa-tRNA accommodation, consistent with the tenfold reduction in the rate of proofreading. Furthermore, we show that eEF1A interacts with the accommodating aa-tRNA through conserved basic residues, limiting premature aa-tRNA dissociation from the A site. These findings provide a structural description of the human aa-tRNA selection process and demonstrate that the aa-tRNA alignment relative to the ribosomal catalytic sites is a critical determinant of translational fidelity.
Remaining useful life prediction of lithium–ion batteries via spatial attention TLSTM and dilated CNN with evolutionary optimization
Understanding perceived value in tourism: Insights from destinations facing crises
Tourism is a significant contributor to global economic growth, underscoring the importance of understanding visitors’ perceptions of attractions in destinations that face challenges and crises. This study investigates key factors influencing tourists’ perceived value of a destination, using the context of such challenging economic and political crises. It aims to determine how tourists evaluate their experiences in these destinations and how these perceptions affect their satisfaction and loyalty. By employing a quantitative method using a structured questionnaire distributed to 784 international tourists visiting Lebanon, the research measures perceived value and satisfaction, considering various destination attributes. The findings reveal that the inherent qualities of a destination significantly impact visitor evaluations, with value for money, competitive pricing, and high-quality experiences enhancing the likelihood of repeat visits and recommendations. Additionally, fun and family experiences play a crucial role in shaping perceived value. Contrary to expectations, knowledge and novelty do not significantly influence perceived value. This paper adds to the tourism literature by providing valuable insights into how tourists perceive value in crisis-prone destinations and addressing the resilience of the tourism sector in volatile regions which provides strategies for managers in such destinations. With its innovative approach, this study integrates quantitative analysis, highlighting the key factors that sustain tourists’ satisfaction and loyalty despite external obstacles.
Interfacial electroneutrality controls transport of asymmetric salts through charge-patterned mosaic membranes
Membranes that selectively enhance target solute permeation while rejecting competing species are essential for precision separations. This study introduces charge-patterned mosaic membranes (CMMs) that selectively transport divalent asymmetric salts by leveraging a net-neutral membrane–solution interface. This mechanism, dictated by the charge ratio of positive and negative domains on the membrane surface and the balance of cations and anions in the salt, is supported by analytical, numerical, and experimental results. Analytical solutions identified cationic domain coverages ( f + ) of 33%, 50%, and 66% as optimal for the selective transport of +2:−1 salts, +1:−1 salts, and +1:−2 salts, respectively, under conditions where the pattern size ( L ) is significantly larger than the Debye length. Numerical simulations and experiments using CMMs with alternating charged-stripes inkjet-printed onto nanostructure copolymer substrates confirmed these findings. By varying stripe widths to control f + , pressure-driven filtration experiments demonstrated selective enrichment of MgCl 2 and K 2 SO 4 at the predicted f + values, with deviations from these values leading to salt rejection. These results highlight the pivotal role of a net-neutral interface in enabling asymmetric salt enrichment. This study positions CMMs as a versatile platform for tuning ion selectivity, addressing challenges in resource recovery, water treatment, and precision separations.
Climate impacts and future trends of hailstorms in China based on millennial records
Normalization of serum alpha fetoprotein after direct acting antivirals in hepatitis C patients lowers hepatocellular carcinoma risk
Digital soil mapping in support of voluntary carbon market programs in agricultural land
Voluntary carbon market (VCM) programs in agriculture depend on accurate measurements of soil organic carbon (SOC) that can be deployed at scale efficiently, but barriers are preventing widespread adoption. To overcome these challenges, we developed a digital soil mapping (DSM) framework driven by machine-learning and numerous spatial covariates, including long-term climate proxies, short-term climate and weather-related variables, topographic and edaphic measurements, and remote sensing time-series summaries. We show that the model can predict SOC content in the top 30 cm of soil using 5,230 measurements of SOC in agricultural land within 47 states in the contiguous United States (CONUS). Model predictions closely matched independent measured values. The intercept and slope of the cross-validated relationship at the agricultural field level were −0.179 and 1.095. The coefficient of determination was R2 = 0.811, and the RMSE was 0.041. In contrast, comparison of independent field measurements to four publicly available SOC data products using 165 fields that contained 3,285 in-situ soil samples showed poor ability of existing public SOC maps to reproduce measured values, underscoring the importance of quantification technologies developed specifically for agricultural land and with recent soil measurements. Three prior SOC data products underestimated SOC content at small values and overestimated it at large ones, while one underestimated SOC content at all values examined. Analysis of feature importance showed that time series summaries from Sentinel-2 are the strongest predictors, followed by temperature variables and features related to surface hydrology. These findings underscore the value of geographically representative training and validation data for quantifying SOC content in agricultural land and demonstrate that feature engineering can increase the sensitivity of SOC quantification to optical remote sensing summaries. Data-driven algorithms can generate accurate estimates of field-level SOC content in agricultural land in CONUS that overcome barriers to scale in the VCM.
Emergence of a carbapenem-resistant atypical uropathogenic Escherichia coli clone as an increasing cause of urinary tract infection
Abstract Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales pose a critical global health threat, exemplified by increasing resistance of uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) that cause urinary tract infections (UTIs). Here, we investigate the publicly available EnteroBase dataset and identify a signal of increasing UTI caused by phylogroup A E. coli sequence type 167 (ST167). Phylogenetic analysis of ST167 based on whole genome sequence data reveal three major clades (A, B, C), with clade C further resolving into several subclades, notably subclade C2 that possessed high carriage rates of carbapenem and cephalosporin resistance genes. Hierarchical clustering of core genome multi-locus sequence typing reveals ~77% of subclade C2 strains contain <20 allelic differences in 2,513 core genes and harbour two distinct group 1 capsule types, KL124 and KL30, likely originating from Klebsiella. Subclade C2 was predominantly sequenced in North America, and we provide evidence for clonal expansion since 2016. Analysis of UPEC virulence factors reveals complete loss of the type 1 fimbriae genes in strains from clades B and C. Two subclade C2 isolates exhibit significantly reduced capacity to colonise the bladder compared to the reference UPEC strain CFT073 in a murine UTI model. Collectively, our data identifies ST167 as an atypical UPEC clone associated with UTI.
Effects of drying temperature, mercerizing, and coating on the properties of Colombian Coir fibers and their interfacial adhesion with polylactic acid
Abstract In the present study, the influence of drying temperature, mercerization, and epoxy coating on the physicochemical and mechanical properties of Colombian CFs and their interfacial adhesion with a PLA matrix were studied. CFs were extracted from the mesocarp of Cocos nucifera husks by retting. The fibers were oven-dried at two drying temperatures, 40 °C and 90 °C. These samples were then mercerized and coated with epoxy resin. Pullout tests were performed to assess the bonding between the fibers and the PLA matrix. The results revealed that drying at 90 °C significantly enhanced fiber stiffness, yielding a Young’s modulus of 1.99 ± 0.48 GPa. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that the mercerization treatment partially removed lignin from the surface of the fibers, increasing their roughness and facilitating mechanical interlocking. The subsequent epoxy resin coating introduced functional groups that can enhance the wettability of PLA. Compared with the untreated fibers, the combination of the mercerized and polymeric coatings resulted in a 62% increase in the Young’s modulus (3.57 ± 0.95 GPa) and a 43% increase in the tensile strength (108.43 ± 35.72 MPa). Additionally, single-fiber pull-out tests revealed that mercerized and coated fibers (CM-PLA) had double the interfacial shear strength (0.916 MPa) of untreated fibers, demonstrating improved fiber‒matrix adhesion.
Subjective socioeconomic status moderates depression’s impact on fairness perception in the ultimatum game: A moderated mediation model
Individuals with depression often exhibit cognitive distortions in socioeconomic decision-making, particularly in interpreting fairness. However, the role of subjective socioeconomic status in shaping these distortions remains underexplored. This study investigates how depression influences fairness perception and rejection behavior in the Ultimatum Game. Specifically, it is to examine whether the fairness perception of unfair offers mediates the association between depression and the rejection rate of unfair offers, and whether subjective socioeconomic status moderates this relationship. 274 participants completed the CES-D scale to assess depressive symptoms, the MacArthur Scale to measure subjective socioeconomic status, and participated in a modified UG to evaluate fairness perception and rejection rates. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS Model 7. The results showed that individuals with higher levels of depression tended to perceive unfair offers as more fair, which subsequently led to fewer rejections. Crucially, this mediation effect was significant only among individuals with high subjective socioeconomic status. For low subjective socioeconomic status individuals, depression did not significantly alter the fairness perception of unfair offers. These findings suggest that subjective socioeconomic status shapes the cognitive consequences of depression, highlighting the importance of accounting for socio-cognitive contextual factors in understanding how depression affects social decision-making processes.
Connectome-constrained ligand-receptor interaction analysis for understanding brain network communication
Adverse childhood experiences as predictors of alcohol and tobacco addiction risk among college students in Delhi-NCR, India
Burden of tuberculosis in Eastern Africa region from 1990–2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study
Background Tuberculosis (TB), despite being a preventable and curable disease, remains a leading infectious cause of death. In Eastern Africa, TB poses a significant public health challenge. This study examined TB incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2021. This study aims to provide evidence for policy and healthcare stakeholders in Eastern Africa. Method This analysis is part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021 to estimate TB incidence, prevalence, TB-specific mortality, and DALYs. The GBD study applies several analytical tools and uses data from national health surveys, vital registration systems, WHO reports, and hospital records. The results were presented by age group, sex, location, and year, accounting for 95% uncertainty intervals. Result A significant decline was observed in TB burden across East African countries between 1990 and 2021. The age standardized TB incidence rate dropped by 53% (95% UI: 50.7%, 55.1%), from 518.8 per 100,000 in 1990–244 in 2021, while TB prevalence dropped by 29.1% (95% UI: 26.3%, 31.7%), from 38,577.6–27,366.1 per 100,000. TB-related deaths fell by 64.6% (95% UI: 55.0%, 71.4%), and TB related DALYs declined by 68.2% (95% UI: 60.3%, 73.6%). Despite these improvements, men consistently experienced higher TB incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs compared to women. Ethiopia showed the highest reductions in terms of TB-related mortality and DALYs compared to countries in the region, with annual reduction rates of 6.0% and 6.6%, respectively. Conversely, Somalia had the highest TB burden in 2021 in terms of incidence, mortality, and DALYs. Mauritius and Seychelles maintained the lowest TB burden, attributed to strong health systems and socio-economic conditions. Conclusion A significant decline was observed in TB burden across eastern African countries between 1990 and 2021. However, TB rates remain significantly higher than global and African averages. Therefore, continued investment in health systems and tailored interventions is essential to alleviate the disease burdens, specifically in high-prevalence areas.