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Protocol for the isolation and characterization of porcine brain region-associated extracellular particles
Extracellular particles (EPs) are a heterogeneous pool of secreted messengers in cell-cell communication. The isolation of EPs from supernatants, biofluids, and solid tissues allows further research into understanding the role of EPs in physiological and pathological scenarios, which aids in the development of EP-based therapies in biomedicine. This article presents a straightforward, direct, and applicable method for isolating and characterizing EPs from three regions of the porcine brain: the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem. The protocol is a method based on three steps: enzymatic treatment, differential centrifugation, and filtration/ultrafiltration to isolate the brain’s EPs. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (ZetaView) revealed the enrichment of the brain’s EPs in the size range of 20–200 nm when isolated using this protocol. Additionally, CD63 and HSP70 expression was assessed by Western Blot without finding significant differences between the brain regions. This simple adapted method will help the understanding of extracellular ecosystems in the CNS and could have interesting implications in brain diagnosis and therapy.
Invariant inter-subject relational structures in high order human visual cortex
Simulation of electrical conductivity for polymer carbon nanofiber composites assuming an extended nanofiber by interphase depth and tunneling distance
When the hammer drops: Identification of knapping techniques in blade production based on a multi-scale study of knapping traces
As defined by J. Tixier, a knapping technique corresponds to the concrete means used to detach a flake. It involves three essential parameters: the tool(s) used, the mode of force application and the behaviour of the body which includes the knapping gesture. In order to identify the knapping techniques used in prehistory, previous studies have mainly focused on macroscopic features on the blanks, but difficulties have often been encountered, leading to mixed results. We present the results of an experimental study that incorporates the macroscopic and microscopic level to examine and characterize knapping traces and integrates a hierarchical cluster analysis to refine identifications. Microscopic traces prove to be complementary to macroscopic traces and to constitute a key aspect for the identification of prehistoric knapping techniques. By focusing on the mode of force application and the contact tool, we show that each parameter of the knapping technique needs to be identified separately. Based on this principle, we demonstrate that it is possible, on the basis of specific sets of attributes, to identify blades produced by direct and indirect percussion and pressure, as well as to differentiate between the use of harder and softer contact tools, although further characterization of the latter does not seem possible without the identification and analysis of knapping-related residues.
Deep gashes in the earth are slicing up cities, swallowing houses and displacing vast numbers of people
Metabolic and hepatic biomarkers associated with MASLD in the Chinese population
Waterpipe-specific pictorial health warning labels are effective in reducing subjective measures, behavioral responses and toxicant exposure among young adults: A crossover study
Background This study aims to assess the impact of six evidence-based Waterpipe (WP)-specific pictorial health warnings (HWs) placed on the WP device on puffing behavior, toxicant exposure, subjective smoking experiences, harm perception, motivation and intention to quit among young WP smokers in Florida. Methods In a crossover experiment, a total of 100 WP smokers completed two 45-minute ad-libitum WP smoking sessions (without HW vs. with HW on the device) after a 12-hour abstinence. Exhaled Carbon Monoxide (eCO) was measured before and after each session, while puff topography was recorded throughout the smoking session. Additionally, participants completed survey questionnaires before and after the WP smoking sessions to assess subjective smoking experiences, harm perception, motivation to quit, and intention to quit. Results Study participants had a mean age of 22.5 years (SD = 3.4), and most (56.6%) were male.The mean e-CO boost (34.16 vs. 26.58) (p = 0.006) was higher in the no-HW condition compared to the HW condition. Differences were also observed between the two conditions for puff topography. For example, median smoking time (46.4 min vs 45.3 min; p < 0.001), median puffing time (4.35 min vs. 4.22 min; 0.004), average puff duration (3.13 sec vs. 2.90 sec; 0.029), and the total number of puffs (95.0 vs. 84.0; 0.039) were lower in the HW compared to no-HW conditions. Subjective measures also demonstrated differences between the two conditions, including greater suppression of the urge to smoke (14.98 vs. 7.51; p < 0.001), reduced puff liking (4.01 vs. 3.63; p = 0.010), and reduced puff satisfaction (4.11 vs. 3.65; p = 0.009) following exposure to HW compared to no-HW conditions. Motivation to quit (p = 0.058), intention to quit (p = 0.659), and harm perception (p = 0.301) increased after smoking the WP with HW; however these were not statistically significant. Conclusion Using an evidence-based approach, a large sample size for clinical studies, and an efficient and sensitive within-subject design, this study demonstrates that pictorial HWs on WP devices effectively reduce smoking behavior, toxicant exposure, and subjective experiences while increasing harm perception, intention, and motivation to quit WP smoking.
Joint beamforming and transmit power control for maximizing uplink communication rate of active IRS-assisted ISAC system
Evaluating advance peace in Fresno, California: An interrupted times series analysis of a community-based gun violence intervention
Background Gun violence is a critical public health issue, contributing to the disproportionate burden of health inequities among racially and economically marginalized populations. Advance Peace, a community-driven gun reduction program that integrates street outreach workers to interrupt conflicts with trauma-informed programming to provide mentorship and support for young people at the center of urban gun violence, may be a strategy to reduce gun violence and build healthy communities. We assessed whether the implementation of Advance Peace in Fresno, California was associated with a reduction in gun-related violence, including homicides and assaults. We hypothesized that post-implementation of Advance Peace, there would be a reduction in both gun-related homicides and assaults. Methods Leveraging crime statistics from the Fresno Police Department on gun-related homicides and assaults between January 2014 and June 2023, we evaluated the impact of Advance Peace programming, implemented beginning in July 2021, on gun violence in Fresno. Descriptive analysis assessed average gun violence rates over time. We used interrupted time series models to assess the rates of gun violence associated with the implementation of Advance Peace in Fresno. Results In Fresno, there was evidence of a reduction in crime rates following the introduction of Advance Peace intervention. Two years post-intervention, there was a 46% decrease in the rate of all gun-related crimes, including both homicides and assaults (rate ratio: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36–0.81). The intervention was also associated with a reduction in the rate of gun-related homicides (RR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.21–0.95) and the rate of gun-related assaults (RR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.38–0.89). Conclusion Findings from this study demonstrate that Advance Peace may be an effective strategy to reduce gun violence.
A spiky armoured dinosaur from Africa causes a rethink of ankylosaur evolution
Effects of Moso bamboo tubes on color, aroma, physicochemical properties and composition of bitter buckwheat liquor
Abstract Bamboo tube liquor (BTL) represents a traditional Chinese alcoholic beverage. Although BTL has a long history of folk consumption, the specific compounds that migrate from Moso bamboo into bitter buckwheat liquor (BBL), its effects on liquor quality, and the key chemical markers that characterize BTL remain poorly understood. This study investigated the changes in color, aroma, alcohol and sugar content, physicochemical properties, and chemical composition of BTL after two months of sealed storage in fresh Moso bamboo tubes. The results showed that the color of BTL turned yellow; the pungent odor of NO₂ was significantly reduced; the total sugar content increased from 0.662 to 0.783%; the phenolic content increased to 0.118 g/kg; and the alcohol content decreased to 22.5%. A total of fifty-three new compounds were identified, including those with antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and cardiovascular protective effects. These findings confirm the nutritional value and health potential of BTL. This study highlights the unique aging advantages of bamboo tube packaging, offers a scientific basis for its application in functional liquor production, and suggests new directions for the high-value utilization of Moso bamboo.
Study on the impact and attention of cover papers for PLOS journals: Evidence from propensity score matching
Background Studies on the impact and attention of cover papers within open-access journals from the same publisher remain lacking. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of being featured as a cover paper on the impact and attention of papers for PLOS journals using propensity score matching (PSM). Methods Cover and non-cover papers published in five PLOS journals (i,e., PLOS Biology, PLOS Computational Biology, PLOS Genetics, PLOS Pathogens, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases) between 2008 and 2017 were selected. Three scientometric indicators, citations (as scholarly impact indicator), and Altmetric attention score (AAS) and Mendeley readers (as social and academic attention indicators) of each paper were collected from altmetric.com. Two datasets were obtained via 1:2 propensity score matching: one spanning 2008–2017 for analyzing citations and reader counts, and another covering 2011–2017 for AAS analysis. Then, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, univariate analysis, and multivariate linear regression analysis were conducted to explore the impact and attention of cover papers versus non-cover papers. Results Among 24,080 papers, 1,760 were successfully matched for analysis of citation frequency and readership, and 1,212 were successfully matched for Altmetric attention analysis. After PSM, cover papers exhibited significantly higher citations (v = 560, P < 0.001), much more readers (v = 528, P < 0.001), and higher AAS (v = 1384, P < 0.001) than non-cover papers. Further multivariate regression analysis of the PSM-adjusted data revealed significant associations, with regression coefficients of 0.145 for citations, 0.174 for readership, and 0.691 for AAS (P < 0.05). Conclusions The findings of this study suggested that being featured on the cover was statistically positively associated with an article’s academic impact and public visibility, especially in terms of the societal attention. However, the relationship was weak.
Fast kinetics of photoprotein emitting species
Age and moral disgust: An experimental priming effects vignette study
Disgust influences how people perceive and judge moral violations. Individuals who are more sensitive to disgust often judge such violations more harshly. This sensitivity may change depending on the context, like the age of the person committing the act. However, there’s limited and inconsistent evidence on how disgust sensitivity and feelings of disgust affect moral judgments toward older adults. This study aimed to find out if disgust sensitivity and induced feelings of disgust affect moral judgments differently based on the age of the person involved. Specifically, we examined whether people relate their disgust sensitivity differently when judging actions by young versus old individuals and whether showing disgusting images influences the harshness of moral judgments differently depending on the actor’s age. We conducted a preregistered experiment with 235 adult participants. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: “Old” or “Young.” They read 24 stories about moral violations committed by either old or young individuals. Before each story, participants were briefly shown an image that was either disgusting, sad, or neutral. They then rated the acceptability of the behavior on a scale. Participants also filled out questionnaires measuring their disgust sensitivity, attitudes toward age, and emotions toward young and old people. The findings showed that higher disgust sensitivity was linked to harsher moral judgments, regardless of the age of the person committing the violation. This means that how sensitive someone is to disgust affects their moral judgments in the same way for both young and old actors. However, when participants were shown disgusting images before reading about an older person committing a moral violation, they judged the behavior less harshly compared to when the actor was young. This effect was not seen with sad or neutral images. There was also no significant interaction between the type of image shown and the participant’s disgust sensitivity. The study suggests that disgust has a complex role in moral judgments. While personal sensitivity to disgust leads to harsher judgments no matter who is involved, feelings of disgust induced by images can influence judgments differently based on the age of the person committing the act.
Revealing Performance-Limiting Buried Interfaces in Layered Dion–Jacobson Lead–Iodide Perovskites
Refining grapevine vegetation status by utilizing grassland and remote sensing data
Neurobiological substrates of altered states of consciousness induced by high ventilation breathwork accompanied by music
The popularity of breathwork as a therapeutic tool for psychological distress is rapidly expanding. Breathwork practices that increase ventilatory rate or depth, facilitated by music, can evoke subjective experiential states analogous to altered states of consciousness (ASCs) evoked by psychedelic substances. These states include components such as euphoria, bliss, and perceptual differences. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the profound subjective effects of high ventilation breathwork (HVB) remain largely unknown and unexplored. In this study, we investigated the neurobiological substrates of ASCs induced by HVB in experienced practitioners. We demonstrate that the intensity of ASCs evoked by HVB was proportional to cardiovascular sympathetic activation and to haemodynamic alterations in cerebral perfusion within clusters spanning the left operculum/posterior insula and right amygdala/anterior hippocampus; regions implicated in respiratory interoceptive representation and the processing of emotional memories, respectively. These observed regional cerebral effects may underlie pivotal mental experiences that mediate positive therapeutic outcomes of HVB.
Exploring semantic and executive flexibility interplay in task switching
Population structure of three New Zealand crested penguins identifies current conservation challenges for the Fiordland penguin/tawaki, erect-crested penguin, and eastern rockhopper penguin
Identifying contemporary population structure and genetic connectivity among seabird populations is essential for developing conservation plans for threatened species, especially as factors like philopatry, non-breeding behavior, and oceanographic features might limit gene flow between isolated populations and influence changes in genetic diversity over time. Here, we characterize the population structure of three closely related crested penguin species in New Zealand: Tawaki (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus; Fiordland penguins), erect-crested penguins/tawaki nana hī (Eudyptes sclateri), and eastern rockhopper penguins/tawaki piki toka (Eudyptes filholi). Whereas tawaki populations appear to be stable, the erect-crested and eastern rockhopper penguin populations have seen dramatic declines in the recent historical record. To understand the genetic implications of these differences in population trajectories, we assessed genetic connectivity among multiple colonies using thousands of nuclear autosomal loci. Our results indicate that tawaki are a single, genetically diverse population without colony-based structure, which is consistent with the currently observed stable or increasing population of tawaki. However, conservation efforts should continue to prioritize protecting marine habitats to safeguard this species. In contrast, we identified two genetically distinct populations of erect-crested penguins corresponding to the Antipodes Islands and the Bounty Islands groups. The Antipodes Islands eastern rockhopper population exhibited high levels of coancestry and low genetic diversity, consistent with population decline and limited immigration. The lack of gene flow and genetic diversity in both erect-crested and eastern rockhopper penguins on the Antipodes Islands raises concerns and highlights the need for continued research to identify the causes of declines to inform conservation efforts of these penguins.