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Constructs across a hierarchical, dimensional model of psychopathology show differential associations with social and general cognitive ability

Many psychiatric disorders and associated psychopathology dimensions are related to social cognitive deficits and reduced general cognitive ability. The current study applied a hierarchical, dimensional approach to better understand associations among psychopathology, social cognition, and general cognitive ability. Data were collected from two samples (n = 653), including psychosis-spectrum patients, their first-degree relatives, and individuals from community sources. Participants completed dimensional psychopathology measures and social cognition tasks (e.g., emotion perception and mentalizing). Data were analyzed using bi-factor exploratory structural equation modeling. Detachment—a psychopathology dimension conceptually linked to social functioning—was associated with worse social cognition, independent of general cognitive ability. Eccentricity and Machiavellianism were associated with better social cognition and general cognitive ability. Findings—and the hierarchical, dimensional approach employed—will be useful in informing future research on and interventions for social dysfunction.

Tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomics and targeted hormone analysis reveal the response to insect herbivory stress in Ginseng (Panax ginseng, L.)

Ginsenosides are the most important secondary metabolites of ginseng. Ginseng has developed certain insect resistance properties during the course of evolutionary environmental adaptation. However, the mechanism underlying the insect resistance of ginseng is poorly understood. To elucidate the insect resistance mechanism of ginseng, we performed stress experiments on ginseng inoculated with black chafer larvae. The contents of ginsenosides in the ginseng roots, stems and leaves were determined at 0, 72, 120 and 168 h after the inoculation of insects. The tandem-mass-tag technology was used to determine the protein phosphorylation sites. Plant hormones were analyzed by multiple reaction monitoring targeted metabolomics. The results showed that ginsenosides present in the stems and leaves were more responsive to insect herbivory treatment than those present in the roots. Through proteomics, we found that the expression of most of the differentially expressed proteins, including GAPC1, GAPC2, and CSD1, was downregulated by insect herbivory treatment, HSP81-3 expression was up-regulated under insect herbivory stress. Regarding plant hormones, abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellic acid, Typhasterol (TY), iopentene adenine (IP), Cytokinin Riboside (czR) and Thiamethasone (tZ) levels were increased by herbivory treatment. With the increase in herbivory treatment time, the levels of trans-Zeatin-riboside (tzR), Isopentenyl adenosine riboside (iPR), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were increased after 168h. The levels of salicylic acid (SA), jasmonates (JA), cis-PODA, and JA-Ile were increased after 120h but decreased thereafter. Under stress conditions, the expression of many antioxidant-related proteins was down-regulated; however, HSP81-3 expression was up-regulated, indicating that the plants exhibited severe oxidative stress. In conclusion, HSP81-3 plays an important role in ABA-dependent regulations involved in response to insect herbivory stress in ginseng. GAPC1 and GAPC2 also participate in the process of anti-herbivory stress response in ginseng.

Non-dominant hand contractions do not facilitate performance under pressure in common desktop tasks

Non-dominant hand contractions (NDHCs) have been shown to help expert motor skills in high-pressure scenarios that induce performance anxiety. Most studies of NHDCs under pressure have examined benefits in overlearned specialist movements (e.g., sporting skills), while few have considered if NDHCs can aid common movements with population-wide expertise (e.g., typing). Accordingly, across three experiments, we explored if NDHCs could protect or facilitate performance under time and/or evaluation pressure in a cursor positioning task (Experiments 1 & 2) and a typing task (Experiment 3). Despite varying the nature of the task, pressure manipulation, and design, and successfully manipulating state anxiety in each experiment, we found no evidence that NDHCs assist performance under pressure in these tasks. For the pressure × contraction condition interaction, the largest inclusion Bayes Factor was .40 for task response time and .62 for task error (Experiment 1), indicating evidence in favour of a null result. Our results, along with other recent studies in this area, cast doubt on the benefits of NDHCs under pressure outside sporting tasks and underline the need for a better mechanistic account of the phenomenon.

Catalyst-Free Nitrogen Fixation by Microdroplets through a Radical-Mediated Disproportionation Mechanism under Ambient Conditions

Digital financial inclusion, population structure, and consumption upgrades: Evidence from China

This study empirically tests the role of population structure in the process of digital financial inclusion empowering the upgrading of consumption structure by taking 248 prefecture-level cities between 2013 and 2019 as the research objects. The results of this study are as follows. First, digital financial inclusion will expand the scale of consumption. Second, digital financial inclusion can promote the upgrading of consumption structure. Third, population structure will regulate the promotional effect of digital financial inclusion on the upgrading of consumption structure. Specifically, child dependency ratio has a positive moderating effect on digital financial inclusion-driven the upgrading of consumption structure. Moreover, sex ratio has a positive moderating effect on digital financial inclusion-driven the upgrading of consumption structure. Therefore, it is suggested that vigorously promote and develop digital financial inclusion, implement and improve the three-child policy, and expand the elderly consumer industry to better promote consumption upgrading.

Seasonal and periodic patterns in US COVID-19 mortality using the Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap

Since the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, research into the existence, extent, and pattern of seasonality has been of the highest importance for public health preparation. This study uses a novel bandpass bootstrap approach called the Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap to investigate the periodically correlated components including seasonality within US COVID-19 mortality. Bootstrapping to produce confidence intervals for periodic characteristics such as the seasonal mean requires preservation of the periodically correlated component’s correlation structure during resampling. While other existing bootstrap methods can preserve the periodically correlated component correlation structure, filtration of that periodically correlated component’s frequency from interference is critical to bootstrap the periodically correlated component’s characteristics accurately and efficiently. The Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap filters the periodically correlated time series to reduce interference from other components such as noise. This greatly reduces bootstrapped confidence interval size and outperforms the statistical power and accuracy of other methods when estimating the periodic mean sampling distribution. Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap analysis of US COVID-19 mortality periodically correlated components is provided and compared against alternative bootstrapping methods. Results show that both methods find a significant seasonal component, but the Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap produces smaller confidence intervals and only the Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap found significant components at the second through the fifth harmonics of the seasonal component, as well as weekly component. This crucial evidence supporting the presence of a seasonal pattern and existence of additional periodically correlated components, their timing, and confidence intervals for their effect which will aid prediction and preparation for future COVID-19 responses.

Alkoxy-Directed Dienamine Catalysis in [4 + 2]-Cycloaddition: Enantioselective Synthesis of Benzo-[3]-ladderanol

Interleukin-1β rs16944 and rs1143627 polymorphisms and risk of developing major depressive disorder: A case-control study among Bangladeshi population

Background Epidemiological research suggests that altered levels of cytokine are associated with pathophysiology and the development of major depressive disorder (MDD). Based on earlier study, IL-1β rs16944 and rs1143627 polymorphisms may increase the risk of depression. Here, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between these polymorphisms and MDD susceptibility among the population in Bangladesh. Methods Blood samples were collected from 100 MDD patients and 70 matched controls. Study participants were evaluated by DSM-5 criteria and PCR-RFLP method were applied for genotyping. Results The IL1β rs1143627 and rs16944 polymorphisms were found to have a significant association with the risk of MDD. In case of rs1143627 CT heterozygous genotype (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.08–4.55, p-value = 0.029) and combined CT+TT (OR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.15–4.79, p-value = 0.019) genotype was strongly associated with the increased risk of MDD in comparison to CC common genotype. Moreover, the over-dominant model indicated a 2.15-fold higher risk for MDD development (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.05–4.40, p-value = 0.036). On the other hand, the IL1β rs16944 polymorphisms revealed that the TC+CC combined genotype in the dominant model showed a 2.06-fold increased risk for MDD development compared to the TT common homozygote (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.06–3.99, p-value = 0.032). Conclusion Studies suggests that IL1β rs16944 and rs1143627 polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of MDD. These findings will provide us with valuable insights into the pathophysiology of MDD.

Reversible Isomerization of Stiff-Stilbene by an Oriented External Electric Field

Identifying factors that underpin student decisions to pursue the Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Atlantic Canadian Universities: Protocol for a mixed methods study

Several international studies have investigated academic decision-making in higher education, but there is limited research on students’ choice to study pharmacy in the Canadian context. While there is some variation across jurisdictions, decisions to enroll in a particular degree program fall into several decision-making domains (e.g., personal, family, institutional, social, and economic). These findings have been theorized in various ways, for example, through social cognitive theory and social reproduction theory. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the personal, family, institutional, social, and economic factors that underpin student decisions to pursue the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree at Atlantic Canadian Universities and to explore barriers to pursuing a pharmacy degree. The proposed study uses an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design consisting of a quantitative survey followed by qualitative interviews. All entry-to-practice PharmD students and graduates in Atlantic Canada are eligible to participate. The survey consists of several Likert scale questions associated with five decision-making domains, as well as several socio-demographic questions. Descriptive statistics and frequency counts will be used to describe the data; differences across decision-making domains, by gender and other demographic groupings, will be analyzed using inferential statistics. Semi-structured interviews with a sample of 12 to 15 participants will be conducted to further understand and explain the quantitative results. We will engage in thematic analysis of qualitative data. The findings of this research will provide insight into the decision-making patterns and socio-demographic characteristics of students who have chosen to pursue a PharmD. Important information will be gathered to inform health professional education and workforce planning, which we believe will contribute to improving healthcare resource capacity and patient outcomes in Atlantic Canada. The results of this project will also inform future recruitment strategies and admission criteria and support educators in the secondary school system in providing evidence-informed career counselling advice for students interested in pursuing a degree in pharmacy. The findings of this study may also be useful to educational leaders and policymakers.

Large Polarization Change Induced by Spin Crossover-Driven Fe(II) Ion Shuttling within a Tripodal Ligand

An anonymized, de-identified registry study protocol to determine the effectiveness and safety of weight loss with enavogliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, such as enavogliflozin, offer promising metabolic benefits for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), including glycemic control and improved cardiac function. Despite the clinical evidence, real-world evidence is needed to validate their safety and effectiveness. This study aims to evaluate the effects of weight loss and safety of enavogliflozin administration in patients with T2D in a real-world clinical setting over 24 weeks. This is a large-scale, prospective, multicenter, non-interventional observational study and will be conducted in 12 primary care centers nationwide between 2024 and 2026. Data will be collected at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks in a real-world clinical setting, including demographic details, clinical history, lifestyle habits, medication use, and various health indicators. Eligible participants are adults aged 19 to 80 with T2D and a body mass index (BMI) of ≥23 kg/m2 who are currently receiving treatment with Envlo (enavogliflozin) or Envlomet (enavogliflozin/metformin) tablets or planning to start treatment. The primary outcome is the change in BMI and body weight at 24 weeks from baseline. Secondary outcomes evaluated are changes in BMI and weight at 12 weeks, the proportion of participants achieving significant reductions in BMI and weight at 12 and 24 weeks, and body composition and glycemic improvements at 12 and 24 weeks. The study will analyze shifts in lipid profiles, liver and kidney functions, and body composition at 12 and 24 weeks as exploratory outcomes. For safety outcomes, the trial will prioritize the monitoring of adverse drug reactions and specific events of interest such as hypoglycemia, urinary tract infections, genital infections, polyuria, and polydipsia. This study design enables us to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of enavogliflozin for weight loss in a real-world setting while exploring its potential positive effects on cardiac function and metabolic risk factors in overweight or obese patients with T2D.

Advancing the Mechanosensitivity of Atropisomeric Diarylethene Mechanophores through a Lever-Arm Effect

Creatine kinase and neuromuscular fatigue responses following differing spells of simulated cricket fast bowling

The fast-bowling action demands repetitive high-intensity whole body movements, imposing complex physical and perceptual demands on players that vary significantly throughout the season. This study aimed to assess and establish practical methods and metrics for quantifying fatigue after four simulated fast bowling spells. Eleven senior club male fast bowlers (age 27.3 ± 7.0 y; body mass 83.7 ± 11.6 kg; height 1.80 ± 0.06 m) completed four different bouts of the modified Cricket Australia-Australian Institute of Sport bowling skills test over consecutive weeks. Neuromuscular function (countermovement jump [CMJ]) and creatine kinase (CK) levels were assessed at baseline, immediately post- (+0 h), and +24 h post-simulation. Perceptual measures (session rating of perceived exertion [sRPE]) and well-being were recorded pre and post fast-bowling simulations, with physical demands (PlayerLoad™) recorded throughout each simulation. Significant reductions in CMJ height were observed at +0 hours (t = 9.789, P < 0.01, d = 0.50) and +24 hours post-simulation (t = 4.051, P < 0.01, d = 0.21) compared to baseline. Moderate correlations were found between deliveries bowled (r = 0.48, P < 0.01), simulation duration (r = 0.49, P < 0.01), PlayerLoad™ (r = 0.41, P < 0.01), sRPE (r = 0.48, P < 0.01), and the change in CK concentration at +24 hours post-simulation. These findings suggest that lower-body neuromuscular function may be compromised following spells of fast bowing for up to 24 hours. Moreover, a ‘dose-response’ relationship was observed between the change in CK concentrations and PlayerLoad™, sRPE and number of deliveries bowled at +24 hours post-bowling spell. Coaches and support staff could use a combination of tools to monitor training and playing to enhance their ability to make informed decisions about a player’s readiness to perform.

Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Electrophile Coupling of Aryl Triflates with Alkyl Halides: Mechanism-Informed Design of More General Conditions

The climate impact and land use of cultivated meat: Evaluating agricultural feedstock production

As global demand for meat continues to rise, alternative and sustainable methods of production are being explored. Cultivated meat (CM) is one such alternative that holds potential for sustainable production with less environmental impact. This study develops an approach to evaluate CM production based on agricultural feedstock. The specific objectives are to determine the minimum land area required to produce a certain amount of cell medium–feedstock for CM production–on agricultural land and to identify potential future land use scenarios assuming that the macro components of the cell medium are solely produced from common agricultural crops in southern Germany. A linear programming model was developed to analyze four different scenarios of CM production, considering factors such as crop rotation, nutrient sourcing, and solar energy use. The results indicate that CM production using plants as raw material for the cell medium cannot improve land use efficiency substantially compared to conventional pork production. Extraction methods, crop choice, and energy sources will strongly influence future pathways for CM. We also find that there is no substantial benefit from CM in terms of climate change mitigation when feedstock is sourced solely from plants. This study provides valuable insights into the limitations of using agricultural feedstock for sustainable CM production. The findings suggest that future research should focus on optimizing the land use efficiency of CM. This includes exploring alternatives such as sourcing cell media from precision fermentation instead of relying solely on crops, and utilizing upcycling possibilities.

Molecular Design of Hole-Collecting Materials for Co-Deposition Processed Perovskite Solar Cells: A Tripodal Triazatruxene Derivative with Carboxylic Acid Groups

Self-acupressure for patients with breast cancer experiencing aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms: Protocol for the AcuAIM randomized pilot trial

Background Aromatase inhibitors (AI) reduce hormone receptor-positive breast cancer recurrence risk by about 50%. However, half of AI-treated postmenopausal women report new or worsened musculoskeletal symptoms (AIMSS), and 20% discontinue therapy prematurely. Acupuncture is effective for reducing symptoms, but many women are not able to access acupuncture therapy. We hypothesize that self-administered acupressure will reduce AIMSS. Materials and methods Postmenopausal women who have been receiving treatment with an AI for more than 3 weeks but less than 2 years, and who report new or worsened joint pain or myalgias since starting AI therapy with worst pain of at least 4 out of 10 on a numerical rating scale, are eligible. Fifty participants will be enrolled and randomized 1:1 to treatment with true or sham acupressure for 12 weeks. Participants will self-apply pressure for 3 minutes to each of the 9 acupoints daily. All participants will complete a pain assessment weekly, and a battery of symptom questionnaires every 6 weeks. Optional stool samples will be collected after 0 and 12 weeks of acupressure to examine changes in the gut microbiome. The primary endpoint is change in worst pain on the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form with 12 weeks of the acupressure intervention, evaluated with generalized estimating equations. Conclusion Determination that self-administered acupressure reduces AIMSS in this randomized phase 2 pilot trial will lead to a larger randomized phase 3 clinical trial to confirm the efficacy of self-acupressure. Reduction of AI-related arthralgias may improve persistence with breast cancer therapy, breast cancer outcomes, and quality of life for AI-treated patients. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT06228768.

Chiral Aldehyde/Palladium Catalysis Enables Asymmetric Branched-Selective Ring-Opening Functionalization of Methylenecyclopropanes with Amino Acid Esters

Exploring Glypican-3 targeted CAR-NK treatment and potential therapy resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent form of primary liver cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Despite advancements in current HCC treatment, it remains a malignancy with poor prognosis. Therefore, developing novel treatment options for patients with HCC is urgently needed. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified natural killer (NK) cells have demonstrated potent anti-tumor effects, making them as a promising immunotherapy strategy for cancer treatment. Glypican-3 (GPC3), a cell surface oncofetal glycoprotein, is highly expressed in most HCC tissues, but not in normal tissues, and functions as a key driver of carcinogenesis. Given its high expression level on the cell surface, GPC3 is considered as an attractive immunotherapy target for HCC. In this study, two GPC3-specific CAR-NK cells, NK92MI/HN3 and NK92MI/HS20, were established using NK92MI cells, a modified IL-2-independent NK cell line. These cell lines were engineered with third generation GPC3-specific CARs, and their activities were subsequently evaluated in the treatment of HCC. We found that NK92MI/HN3 cells, rather than NK92MI/HS20 cells, exhibited a significant cytotoxicity effect against GPC3+ HepG2 cells in vitro and efficiently suppressed tumor growth in a xenograft model using NSG mice. In addition, irradiated NK92MI/HN3 cells displayed similar anti-tumor efficacy to unirradiated NK92MI/HN3 cells. Furthermore, we observed that NK92MI/HN3 cells showed higher killing activity against the GPC3 isoform 2 overexpression cell line (Sk-Hep1-v2) than those with GPC3 isoform 1 overexpression cell line (Sk-Hep1-v1). This suggest that the presence of different GPC3 isoforms in HCC may impact the cytotoxicity activity of NK92MI/HN3 cells and potentially influence therapeutic outcomes. These findings highlight the effective anti-HCC effects of NK92MI/HN3 cells and reveal the role of GPC3 isoforms in influencing therapy outcomes, suggesting that isoform analysis should be considered to optimize CAR-NK therapies to improve patient outcomes.