Blue boron-bearing diamonds from Earth's lower mantle.

Geological pathways for the recycling of Earth's surface materials into the mantle are both driven and obscured by plate tectonics1-3. Gauging the extent of this recycling is difficult because subducted crustal components are often released at relatively shallow depths, below arc volcanoes4-7. The conspicuous existence of blue boron-bearing diamonds (type IIb)8,9 reveals that boron, an element abundant in the continental and oceanic crust, is present in certain diamond-forming fluids at mantle depths. However, both the provenance of the boron and the geological setting of diamond crystallization were unknown. Here we show that boron-bearing diamonds carry previously unrecognized mineral assemblages whose high-pressure precursors were stable in metamorphosed oceanic lithospheric slabs at depths reaching the lower mantle. We propose that some of the boron in seawater-serpentinized oceanic lithosphere is subducted into the deep mantle, where it is released with hydrous fluids that enable diamond growth10. Type IIb diamonds are thus among the deepest diamonds ever found and indicate a viable pathway for the deep-mantle recycling of crustal elements.

Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Dorsal and Ventral Striatum, Impulsivity, and Severity of Use in Recently Abstinent Cocaine-Dependent Individuals.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have focused on both ventral striatum (VS) and dorsal striatum (DS) in characterizing dopaminergic deficits in addiction. Animal studies suggest VS and DS dysfunction each in association with impulsive and compulsive cocaine use during early and later stages of addiction. However, few human studies have aimed to distinguish the roles of VS and DS dysfunction in cocaine misuse. METHODS: We examined VS and DS resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of 122 recently abstinent cocaine-dependent individuals (CDs) and 122 healthy controls (HCs) in 2 separate cohorts. We followed published routines in imaging data analyses and evaluated the results at a corrected threshold with age, sex, years of drinking, and smoking accounted for. RESULTS: CDs relative to HCs showed higher VS rsFC with the left inferior frontal cortex (IFC), lower VS rsFC with the hippocampus, and higher DS rsFC with the left orbitofrontal cortex. Region-of-interest analyses confirmed the findings in the 2 cohorts examined separately. In CDs, VS-left IFC and VS-hippocampus connectivity was positively and negatively correlated with average monthly cocaine use in the prior year, respectively. In the second cohort where participants were assessed with the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11), VS-left IFC and VS-hippocampus connectivity was also positively and negatively correlated with BIS-11 scores in CDs. In contrast, DS-orbitofrontal cortex connectivity did not relate significantly to cocaine use metrics or BIS-11 scores. CONCLUSION: These findings associate VS rsFC with impulsivity and the severity of recent cocaine use. How DS connectivity partakes in cocaine misuse remains to be investigated.

Cognitive Challenges Are Better in Distinguishing Binge From Nonbinge Drinkers: An Exploratory Deep-Learning Study of fMRI Data of Multiple Behavioral Tasks and Resting State.

BACKGROUND: Studies have identified imaging markers of binge drinking. Functional connectivity during both task challenges and resting state was shown to distinguish binge and nonbinge drinkers. However, no studies have compared the efficacy of task and resting data in the classification. HYPOTHESIS: Task outperforms resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in the differentiation of binge and nonbinge drinkers. We tested the hypothesis via multiple deep learning algorithms. STUDY TYPE: Cross-sectional; retrospective. POPULATION: A total of 149 binge (107 men) and 151 demographically matched, nonbinge (92 men) drinkers curated from the Human Connectome Project, with 80% randomly selected for model development and 20% for validation/test. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3 T; fMRI with a blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) gradient-echo echo-planar sequence. ASSESSMENT: FMRI data of resting state and seven behavioral tasks were acquired. Graph convolutional network (GCN), long short-term memory, convolutional, and recurrent neural network models were built to distinguish bingers and nonbingers using connectivity matrices of 8, 116, and 268 regions of interest (ROI). Nodal metrics including betweenness centrality, degree centrality, clustering coefficient, efficiency, local efficiency, and shortest path length were calculated from the GCN model. STATISTICAL TESTS: Model performance was quantified by the area under the curve (AUC) in receiver operating characteristic analysis. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Task outperformed resting data in classification by approximately 8% by AUC in the test set. Across models and ROI sets, the gambling, motor, language and working memory tasks, each with AUC of 0.614, 0.612, 0.605, and 0.603, performed better than resting data (AUC = 0.548). Models with 116 ROIs (AUC = 0.602) consistently outperformed those with 8 ROIs (AUC = 0.569). Task data performed best with GCN (AUC = 0.619). Nodal metrics of left supplementary motor area and right cuneus showed significant group main effect across tasks. CONCLUSION: Neural responses to cognitive challenges relative to resting state better characterize binge drinking. The performance of different network models may depend on behavioral tasks and the number of ROIs. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Gray matter volumetric correlates of dimensional impulsivity traits in children: Sex differences and heritability.

Previous research investigated the cerebral volumetric correlates of impulsivity largely in moderate-sized samples and few have examined the distinct correlates of dimensions of impulsivity, sex differences, or heritability of the correlates. Here, we performed voxel-based morphometry analysis of data (n = 11,474; 5,452 girls, 9-10 years) curated from the Adolescent Brain Cognition Development project. In a linear regression with all five UPPS-P subscores as regressors and age in months, total intracranial volume, study site, and scanner model as covariates, higher levels of lack of premeditation, and sensation seeking were correlated with larger cortical and subcortical gray matter volumes (GMVs). In contrast, higher positive urgency was correlated with smaller GMVs in many of the same regions. The dimensional impulsivity traits also involved distinct volumetric correlates, with, for instance, sensation seeking and positive urgency specifically implicating bilateral caudate head/mid-cingulate cortex and bilateral lateral orbitofrontal cortex/left precentral gyrus, respectively. Boys relative to girls scored higher in all impulsivity dimensions. Girls relative to boys showed significantly stronger positive and negative correlations between sensation seeking and insula, putamen, and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) GMVs and between positive urgency and cingulate cortex, insula, and IFG GMVs, respectively. With a subsample of twins, the dimensional impulsivity traits were weakly to moderately heritable in both girls and boys, and the GMV correlates were highly heritable in girls and boys combined. These findings collectively suggest shared and nonshared as well as sex differences in the cerebral volumetric bases of dimensional impulsivity traits and may facilitate research of externalizing psychopathology in children.

Sensitivity, specificity, and tolerability of the BACTrack Skyn compared to other alcohol monitoring approaches among young adults in a field-based setting.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for novel alcohol biosensors that are accurate, able to detect alcohol concentration close in time to consumption, and feasible and acceptable for many clinical and research applications. We evaluated the field accuracy and tolerability of novel (BACTrack Skyn) and established (Alcohol Monitoring Systems SCRAM CAM) alcohol biosensors. METHODS: The sensor and diary data were collected in a larger study of a biofeedback intervention and compared observationally in the present sub-study. Participants (high-risk drinkers, 40% female; median age 21) wore both Skyn and SCRAM CAM sensors for 1-6 days and were instructed to drink as usual. Data from the first cohort of participants (N = 27; 101 person-days) were used to find threshold values of transdermal alcohol that classified each day as meeting or not meeting defined levels of drinking (heavy, above-moderate, any). These values were used to develop scoring metrics that were subsequently tested using the second cohort (N = 20; 57 person-days). Data from both biosensors were compared to mobile diary self-report to evaluate sensitivity and specificity in relation to a priori standards established in the literature. RESULTS: Skyn classification rules for Cohort #1 within 3 months of device shipment showed excellent sensitivity for heavy drinking (94%) and exceeded expectations for above-moderate and any drinking (78% and 69%, respectively), while specificity met expectations (91%). However, classification worsened when Cohort #1 devices ≥3 months from shipment were tested (area under curve for receiver operator characteristic 0.87 vs. 0.79) and the derived classification threshold when applied to Cohort #2 was inadequately specific (70%). Skyn tolerability metrics were excellent and exceeded the SCRAM CAM (p ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Skyn tolerability was favorable and accuracy rules were internally derivable but did not yield useful scoring metrics going forward across device lots and months of usage.

Sex differences in neural responses to reward and the influences of individual reward and punishment sensitivity.

BACKGROUND: Men and women show differences in sensitivity to reward and punishment, which may impact behavior in health and disease. However, the neural bases of these sex differences remain under-investigated. Here, by combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a variant of the Monetary Incentive Delay Task (MIDT), we examined sex differences in the neural responses to wins and losses and how individual reward and punishment sensitivity modulates these regional activities. METHODS: Thirty-sex men and 27 women participated in the fMRI study. We assessed sensitivity to punishment (SP) and sensitivity to reward (SR) with the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ). In the MIDT, participants pressed a button to collect reward ($1, 1¢, or nil), with the reaction time window titrated across trials so participants achieved a success rate of approximately 67%. We processed the Imaging data with published routines and evaluated the results with a corrected threshold. RESULTS: Women showed higher SP score than men and men showed higher SR score than women. Men relative to women showed higher response to the receipt of dollar or cent reward in bilateral orbitofrontal and visual cortex. Men as compared to women also showed higher response to dollar loss in bilateral orbitofrontal cortex. Further, in whole-brain regressions, women relative to men demonstrated more significant modulation by SP in the neural responses to wins and larger wins, and the sex differences were confirmed by slope tests. CONCLUSIONS: Together, men showed higher SR and neural sensitivity to both wins, large or small, and losses than women. Individual differences in SP were associated with diminished neural responses to wins and larger wins in women only. These findings highlight how men and women may differ in reward-related brain activations in the MIDT and add to the imaging literature of sex differences in cognitive and affective functions.

Reward-Related Responses and Tonic Craving in Cocaine Addiction: An Imaging Study of the Monetary Incentive Delay Task.

BACKGROUND: Cocaine addiction is associated with altered sensitivity to natural reinforcers and intense drug craving. However, previous findings on reward-related responses were mixed, and few studies have examined whether reward responses relate to tonic cocaine craving. METHODS: We combined functional magnetic resonance imaging and a monetary incentive delay task to investigate these issues. Imaging data were processed with published routines, and the results were evaluated with a corrected threshold. We compared reward responses of 50 cocaine-dependent individuals (CDs) and 45 healthy controls (HCs) for the ventral striatum (VS) and the whole brain. We also examined the regional responses in association with tonic cocaine craving, as assessed by the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ) in CDs. We performed mediation analyses to evaluate the relationship between regional responses, CCQ score, and recent cocaine use. RESULTS: The VS showed higher activation to large as compared with small or no wins, but this reward-related activity did not differ between CDs and HCs. The precentral gyrus (PCG), anterior insula, and supplementary motor area showed higher activation during large vs no wins in positive correlation with the CCQ score in CDs. Mediation analyses suggested that days of cocaine use in the prior month contributed to higher CCQ scores and, in turn, PCG reward responses. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight a unique relationship between reward responses of the primary motor cortex, tonic cocaine craving, and recent cocaine use. The motor cortex may partake in the cognitive motor processes critical to drug-seeking behavior in addicted individuals.

The Neural Processes Interlinking Social Isolation, Social Support, and Problem Alcohol Use.

BACKGROUND: Subjective feeling of social isolation, as can be measured by perceived burdensomeness (PB), is a major risk factor for alcohol misuse. Heightened PB is associated with elevated stress response and diminished cognitive control, both of which contribute to problem drinking. Here, we sought to identify the neural substrates underlying the relationship between PB and alcohol misuse. METHODS: We employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data collected from 61 problem drinkers to characterize the functional connectivity of the hypothalamus and ventral striatum (VS) in relation to PB. We specifically examined whether the connectivities of the hypothalamus and VS were differentially influenced by PB to produce contrasting effects on alcohol use. Finally, we evaluated how individual differences in social support modulate the inter-relationships of social isolation, neural connectivity, and the severity of problem drinking. RESULTS: Whole-brain multiple regressions show a positive relationship between PB and hypothalamic connectivity with the hippocampus and an inverse pattern for VS connectivity with the middle frontal gyrus. Difference in strength between the 2 connectivities predicted the severity of problem drinking, suggesting an imbalance involving elevated hypothalamic and diminished prefrontal cortical modulation in socially isolated problem drinkers. A path analysis further revealed that the lack of social support was associated with a bias toward low prefrontal connectivity, which in turn increased PB and facilitated problem drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Altered hypothalamus and VS connectivity may underlie problem drinking induced by social isolation. The current findings also highlight the important role of social support as a potential protective factor against alcohol misuse.

Interdependent Neural Correlates of Reward and Punishment Sensitivity During Rewarded Action and Inhibition of Action.

Imaging studies have distinguished the brain correlates of approach and avoidance behaviors and suggested the influence of individual differences in trait sensitivity to reward (SR) and punishment (SP) on these neural processes. Theoretical work of reinforcement sensitivity postulates that SR and SP may interdependently regulate behavior. Here, we examined the distinct and interrelated neural substrates underlying rewarded action versus inhibition of action in relation to SR and SP as evaluated by the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire. Forty-nine healthy adults performed a reward go/no-go task with approximately 2/3 go and 1/3 no-go trials. Correct go and no-go responses were rewarded and incorrect responses were penalized. The results showed that SR and SP modulated rewarded go and no-go, respectively, both by recruiting the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and left middle frontal gyrus (rACC/left MFG). Importantly, SR and SP influenced these regional activations in opposite directions, thus exhibiting an antagonistic relationship as suggested by the reinforcement sensitivity theory. Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that heightened SR contributed to higher rewarded go success rate via enhanced rACC/left MFG activity. The findings demonstrate interrelated neural correlates of SR and SP to support the diametric processes of behavioral approach and avoidance.

Problem drinking alters gray matter volume and food cue responses of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex.

Alcohol misuse is associated with significant energy deficits. As feeding involves multiple sensory, cognitive, and affective processes, low food intake in problem drinkers likely reflects alterations in both regional and inter-regional responses. To investigate the effects of problem drinking on feeding-related neural activities and connectivities, we examined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in 82 drinkers who viewed palatable food and nonfood images in alternating blocks. Drinking severity was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). A whole-brain multiple regression with AUDIT scores as the predictor showed a negative correlation between drinking severity and activation to food vs nonfood cues in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC). AUDIT scores were also negatively correlated with the gray matter volume (GMV) of the lOFC and regions that responded preferentially to food stimuli, including the left middle frontal gyrus, bilateral middle insula, and occipital cortices. Connectivity strength between the lOFC and these regions was negatively modulated by drinking severity. In contrast, there was no relationship between AUDIT scores and lOFC connectivity with regions that did not show either selectivity to food images or GMV loss. A mediation analysis further suggested that alcohol misuse may have compromised lOFC's structural integrity, which in turn disrupted lOFC interactions with regions that support the processing of visual food cues. Overall, the findings provide evidence for the effects of problem drinking on the brain substrates of feeding, potentially shedding light on the neural mechanisms underlying energy deficits in at-risk drinkers.

Resting state hypothalamic and dorsomedial prefrontal cortical connectivity of the periaqueductal gray in cocaine addiction.

Cocaine-dependent (CD) individuals demonstrate significant anxiety and dysphoria during withdrawal, a negative emotional state that may perpetuate drug seeking and consumption. An extensive body of work has focused on characterizing reward circuit dysfunction, but relatively little is known about the pain circuit during cocaine withdrawal. In an earlier study, we highlighted how cue-elicited functional connectivity between the periaqueductal gray (PAG), a subcortical hub of the pain circuit, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex supports tonic craving in recently abstinent CD. The functional organization of the brain can be characterized by intrinsic connectivities, and it is highly likely that the resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the PAG may also be altered in association with cocaine use variables. Here, we examined this issue in 52 CD and 52 healthy control (HC) participants. Imaging data were processed with published routines, and the findings were evaluated with a corrected threshold. In a covariance analysis, CD as compared with HC showed higher PAG rsFC with the hypothalamus, dorsomedial prefrontal, and inferior parietal cortices. Further, these connectivities were correlated negatively with tonic cocaine craving and recent cocaine use, respectively. Higher hypothalamic and frontoparietal rsFC with the PAG may reflect a compensatory process to regulate craving and compulsive drug use. The findings provide additional evidence in humans implicating the PAG circuit and may help research of the role of negative reinforcement in sustaining habitual drug use in cocaine addiction.

Posterior Cingulate Cortical Response to Active Avoidance Mediates the Relationship between Punishment Sensitivity and Problem Drinking.

Many people drink to alleviate negative affect, reflecting an avoidance strategy which can lead to alcohol misuse. Individuals with heightened sensitivity to punishment (SP) are especially susceptible to problem drinking via this maladaptive coping mechanism. As imaging studies have largely focused on sensation-seeking traits and approach behavior, the neural substrates underlying behavioral avoidance as well as their relationship with punishment sensitivity and alcohol use remain unclear. Here, we examined in humans the cerebral correlates of response inhibition to avoid a penalty in relation to both problem drinking and SP, as evaluated by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire, respectively. Seventy nondependent female and male drinkers performed a reward go/no-go task with approximately two-thirds go and one-third no-go trials. Correct go and no-go responses were rewarded, and incorrect responses were punished. The results showed that SP and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores were both positively correlated with brain activations during response inhibition, and these activations overlapped in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Thus, the PCC may represent a shared neural substrate for avoidance, punishment sensitivity, and problem drinking. Mediation analyses further suggested that PCC response to avoidance completely and bidirectionally mediated the relationship between SP and hazardous alcohol use. These findings substantiated the role of the PCC in behavioral avoidance and its link to problem drinking in punishment-sensitive nondependent drinkers.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Many people drink to alleviate negative affect, reflecting an avoidance strategy that can lead to alcohol misuse. Individuals with heightened punishment sensitivity (SP) trait are particularly vulnerable to this maladaptive coping mechanism. The current study examined the neural substrates underlying behavioral avoidance and their relationship with SP and problem drinking. Using a reward go/no-go task, we showed both SP and drinking severity were positively correlated with the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) activation during action inhibition. Thus, the PCC may represent a shared neural substrate for avoidance behavior, punishment sensitivity, and problem drinking. Further, PCC response to avoidance mediated the relationship between SP and alcohol use. These findings substantiated the neural processes linking avoidance tendency to alcohol misuse in punishment-sensitive drinkers.

The effects of age on reward magnitude processing in the monetary incentive delay task.

Previous studies have suggested age-related differences in reward-directed behavior and cerebral processes in support of the age effects. However, it remains unclear how age may influence the processing of reward magnitude. Here, with 54 volunteers (22-74 years of age) participating in the Monetary Incentive Delay Task (MIDT) with explicit cues ($1, ¢1, or nil) and timed response to win, we characterized brain activations during anticipation and feedback and the effects of age on these regional activations. Behaviorally, age was associated with less reaction time (RT) difference between dollar and cent trials, as a result of slower response to the dollar trials; i.e., age was positively correlated with RT dollar - RT cent, with RT nil as a covariate. Both age and the RT difference ($1 - ¢1) were correlated with diminished activation of the right caudate head, right anterior insula, supplementary motor area (SMA)/pre-SMA, visual cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, right superior/middle frontal gyri, and left primary motor cortex during anticipation of $1 vs. ¢1 reward. Further, these regional activities mediated the age effects on RT differences. In responses to outcomes, age was associated with decreases in regional activations to dollar vs. cent loss but only because of higher age-related responses to cent losses. Together, these findings suggest age-related differences in sensitivity to the magnitude of reward. With lower cerebral responses during anticipation to win large rewards and higher responses to outcomes of small loss, aging incurs a constricted sensitivity to the magnitude of reward.

Maize BIG GRAIN1 homolog overexpression increases maize grain yield.

The Zea Mays BIG GRAIN 1 HOMOLOG 1 (ZM-BG1H1) was ectopically expressed in maize. Elite commercial hybrid germplasm was yield tested in diverse field environment locations representing commercial models. Yield was measured in 101 tests across all 4 events, 26 locations over 2 years, for an average yield gain of 355 kg/ha (5.65 bu/ac) above control, with 83% tests broadly showing yield gains (range +2272 kg/ha to -1240 kg/ha), with seven tests gaining more than one metric ton per hectare. Plant and ear height were slightly elevated, and ear and tassel flowering time were delayed one day, but ASI was unchanged, and these traits did not correlate to yield gain. ZM-BG1H1 overexpression is associated with increased ear kernel row number and total ear kernel number and mass, but individual kernels trended slightly smaller and less dense. The ZM-BG1H1 protein is detected in the plasma membrane like rice OS-BG1. Five predominant native ZM-BG1H1 alleles exhibit little structural and expression variation compared to the large increased expression conferred by these ectopic alleles.

The interrelationship of body mass index with gray matter volume and resting-state functional connectivity of the hypothalamus.

BACKGROUND: The hypothalamus plays an important role in regulating body weight through its interactions with multiple brain circuits involved in distinct aspects of feeding behavior. Yet, how hypothalamic gray matter volume (GMV) and connectivity may be related to individual differences in body weight remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that the hypothalamus shows enhanced resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) with regions of the reward, motivation, and motor circuits in positive correlation with body mass index (BMI) and the opposite with those associated with inhibitory control. We further examined the interdependent relationships between hypothalamic GMV, connectivity, and body weight. METHODS: Using seed-based rsFC and voxel-based morphometry analyses, we examined the relationship between the rsFC and GMV of the hypothalamus and BMI in 105 healthy humans. Additionally, we employed mediation analyses to characterize the inter-relationships between hypothalamic connectivity, GMV, and BMI. RESULTS: A whole-brain multiple regression showed that BMI was positively correlated with hypothalamic rsFC with the insula, thalamus, globus pallidus, and cerebellum, and negatively correlated with hypothalamic rsFC with the superior parietal lobule. Thus, higher BMI was associated with enhanced hypothalamic connectivity with regions involved in motivated feeding and reduced connectivity with those in support of cognitive control of food intake. A second whole-brain multiple regression revealed a positive correlation between hypothalamic GMV and the hypothalamus-posterior insula connectivity. Finally, the relationship between hypothalamic GMV and BMI was significantly and bidirectionally mediated by the hypothalamus-posterior insula connectivity. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings suggest that the hypothalamus differentially interacts with the motivation, motor, and control circuits to regulate BMI. We further found evidence for the interdependence of hypothalamic structure, function, and body weight, which provides potential insights into the brain mechanisms of obesity.

Effective medium theory for thermal scattering off rotating structures.

Controlling heat transfer with artificial functional materials has been a promising route towards the efficient and smart utilization of thermal energy in modern society. At the macroscopic scale, thermal metamaterials have demonstrated versatile functionalities in manipulating thermal conduction. One major method is the effective medium theory, which provides a reliable approximation for the material parameters of the composite. Although most of thermal metamaterials use static components, recent devices with integrated moving parts are attracting great interest thanks to their high efficiency and flexibility. However, the effective medium theory for thermal scattering off such devices has not been well established, due to the fundamental difference between thermal convection and conduction. Here, we provide a thorough study on heat transfer through mechanically rotating structures. It is shown that the effective thermal conductivity of a rotating structure can be rigorously described in a complex plane. The analytical expressions of the effective thermal conductivity for structures with rotating multiple layers are formulated, which explicitly capture their influences on the surrounding temperature field. We validate the theory and numerically demonstrate the rotated and unrotated temperature distributions generated around a single structure. Our theory is expected to become a design recipe for novel thermal metamaterials and meta-devices.

Cerebral responses to self-initiated action during social interactions.

Social interaction involves self-initiated actions that engage subjective awareness of one's own volition. Individuals with social communication needs or social anxiety find it particularly difficult to initiate social interactions. However, extant studies have not specifically addressed how perceived exclusion may influence self-initiated actions during social interaction. As a first step to address this question, we scanned 24 healthy adults participating in a Cyberball game with two fictive players. By contrasting events of observing, receiving, and initiating ball toss during a scenario of fair game (FG) and of exclusion (EX), we examined the neural correlates of self-initiated action during social interactions. Behaviorally, participants were faster in catching but slower in tossing the ball in EX compared with FG, suggesting a burden during self-initiated actions during social exclusion. Tossing versus receiving (or observing) engaged higher activity during EX than FG in the precuneus and angular gyrus, regions that have been widely implicated in theory of mind processing and social emotions. Across subjects these cortical activities correlated positively with the difference between EX and FG in the percentage of trials where participants tossed the ball back to the same player (r = 0.69, p < 0.001). Together, the results suggested that, in healthy adults, social exclusion encumbered and engaged higher posterior cortical activations during self-initiated actions. The findings may facilitate future research of neural markers of social behavioral disorders.

Spatiotemporal patterns of particulate matter (PM) and associations between PM and mortality in Shenzhen, China.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on air pollution exposure and its associations with human health in China have focused on the heavily polluted industrial areas and/or mega-cities, and studies on cities with comparatively low air pollutant concentrations are still rare. Only a few studies have attempted to analyse particulate matter (PM) for the vibrant economic centre Shenzhen in the Pearl River Delta. So far no systematic investigation of PM spatiotemporal patterns in Shenzhen has been undertaken and the understanding of pollution exposure in urban agglomerations with comparatively low pollution is still limited. METHODS: We analyze daily and hourly particulate matter concentrations and all-cause mortality during 2013 in Shenzhen, China. Temporal patterns of PM (PM2.5 and PM10) with aerodynamic diameters of 2.5 (10) µm or less (or less (including particles with a diameter that equals to 2.5 (10) µm) are studied, along with the ratio of PM2.5 to PM10. Spatial distributions of PM10 and PM2.5 are addressed and associations of PM10 or PM2.5 and all-cause mortality are analyzed. RESULTS: Annual average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were 61.3 and 39.6 µg/m(3) in 2013. PM2.5 failed to meet the Class 2 annual limit of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. PM2.5 was the primary air pollutant, with 8.8 % of days having heavy PM2.5 pollution. The daily PM2.5/PM10 ratios were high. Hourly PM2.5 concentrations in the tourist area were lower than downtown throughout the day. PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were higher in western parts of Shenzhen than in eastern parts. Excess risks in the number of all-cause mortality with a 10 µg/m(3) increase of PM were 0.61 % (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.50-0.72) for PM10, and 0.69 % (95 % CI: 0.55-0.83) for PM2.5, respectively. The greatest ERs of PM10 and PM2.5 were in 2-day cumulative measures for the all-cause mortality, 2-day lag for females and the young (0-65 years), and L02 for males and the elder (>65 years). PM2.5 had higher risks on all-cause mortality than PM10. Effects of high PM pollution on mortality were stronger in the elder and male. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide additional relevant information on air quality monitoring and associations of PM and human health, valuable data for further scientific research in Shenzhen and for the on-going discourse on improving environmental policies.

Hair elements and healthy aging: a cross-sectional study in Hainan Island, China.

Healthy aging is considered as the core issue of aging population. Centenarians are a symbol of healthy aging. Concentration of elements in hair is an indicator of micronutrient status, which can affect the human health. In the present study, we investigated element concentrations in the scalp hair of 255 healthy centenarians from Hainan Island, China. The pattern of intergenerational transmission of elements and the effects of confounders such as sex, age, education level, smoking habits, alcohol intake, and frequency of hospitalization on hair element concentrations were assessed. For most elements, the load in hair increased significantly through intergenerational transmission (i.e., centenarians < children < grandchildren). Our results also demonstrated that female centenarians had significantly higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, Mn, Se, and Sr but lower levels of Cr and P. The Mn level was statistically significantly lower in the primary studies group. Alcohol intake was positively associated with Cd and Na levels, whereas smoking habits showed no significant effect on all the elements. Furthermore, the frequency of hospitalization was significantly positively associated with Cd, Cu, and Pb concentration. Moreover, our analysis suggested that adequate concentrations of Fe and Se might increase the life span of centenarians, whereas excessive concentrations of P and Pb were harmful to health and reduced life span. These results imply that element concentrations could be manipulated as a therapeutic modality in geriatric disease. They might also provide reference values for diseased subjects, allowing improved diagnoses and more effective therapies, which might support effective policies on health and aging.