Assessment of Reduction in Stimulus Generalization of Ethanol-Seeking During Recovery: A Rapid Procedure.

Previously, we developed a procedure which showed that longer histories of reinforced alternative behavior decrease the risk of relapse caused by a range of stimuli which had previously occasioned drinking. The decrease in relapse risk was likely due to a decrease in attention to the stimuli over the course of repeated engagement in the alternative behavior. However, this previous procedure was time consuming and did not mirror the procedure we used to observe changes in relapse risk. This study aimed at replicating the previous relationship between the duration of engaging in an alternative behavior and shift in stimulus generalization for drinking using a procedure that allows longitudinal analysis over time and is consistent with other procedures we have developed. Rats were trained to respond for ethanol in the presence of one stimulus (16kHz tone; food Fixed Ratio (FR)150 and ethanol FR5), and for food in the under another stimulus (8kHz tone; food and ethanol FR5). Then, recovery-like sessions with food predominant responding occurred in the presence of only the low-cost food stimulus. During these sessions, rats were exposed to non-reinforced graded stimuli alternation from 8 to 16kHz alternating with the reinforced low-cost food stimulus. The number of responses on each (food and ethanol) lever before completing 5 responses on either lever was the main measure. Consistent with the earlier procedure, the current procedure showed that graded variation of tone from 8 to 16kHz produced a graded increase in responding for ethanol compared to responding for food. In addition, longer periods of engaging in recovery-like responding shift the generalization function downwards. This procedure confirms the earlier pattern of stimulus generalization over longer periods of behavior consistent with recovery. This strengthens our hypothesis that shifts in attention to alcohol-related stimuli are important to the development of relapse resistance during recovery.

Polypeptide-Based Copper Ionophore for In Situ Glutathione-Triggered Chemodynamic and Chemotherapy.

Intracellular copper ion homeostasis has become an attractive target for cancer therapy. Herein, we report a 2,2'-dipicolylamine (DPA) functionalized polyglutamate derivative (PDHB) which is capable of rapidly forming PDHB-copper complex (PDHB@Cu) due to the strong coordination ability of pendant DPA with Cu2+. High drug loading content of doxorubicin (DOX) (>30 wt %) is realized due to the strong affinity of Cu2+ to DOX, while that is about 10 wt % for PDHB without Cu2+. The obtained PDHB@Cu-DOX can respond to specific endogenous stimuli (pH and glutathione (GSH)), releasing Cu2+ and DOX. The released DOX directly damages the DNA of tumor cells to cause apoptosis, while Cu2+ depletes intracellular GSH and is reduced to Cu+ simultaneously, which reacts with local H2O2 to produce highly toxic ·OH via a Fenton-like reaction, thus realizing synergistic chemodynamics and chemotherapy. This report provides an interesting polymeric ionophore strategy to deliver enough copper ions into cancer cells, which can also easily extend to other metal ions by replacing the ionophore components, thus having a wide application in nanomedicine.

Relating in the Wild: Toward an Analysis of Equivalence Relations Under More Naturalistic Conditions.

Since the first proposal 50 years ago, numerous experiments have documented how arbitrarily related stimuli can become functionally interchangeable. These studies have sought to understand how different variables can moderate the probability of equivalence class formation. However, the well-established evidence regarding this phenomenon in experimental settings does not necessarily guarantee an understanding about how equivalence relations are produced in natural settings. In typical experiments, experimenters control critical variables to produce equivalence relations, such as, the requirement of proficiency with baseline relations, the number of opportunities to relate two or more stimuli, the efforts to promote stimulus control topography coherent with the experimenter-defined relations, etc. All these variables, however, are not controlled in our daily lives. The present article elucidates how some differences between experimental and natural settings can likely affect how the phenomenon of equivalence relations can occur in noncontrolled, naturalistic environments. Furthermore, we suggest new areas of research to promote the generalization of basic experimental data to contingencies in our daily lives.

Achieving Tunable Monomeric TADF and Aggregated RTP via Molecular Stacking.

Organic emitters with both thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) have attracted widespread interest for their intriguing luminescent properties. Herein, a series of triphenylamine-substituted isoquinoline derivatives possessing monomeric TADF and aggregated RTP properties are reported. As the molecules exhibited various forms of π-π and charge transfer (CT) stacking with different intensities, inter/intramolecular CT can be meticulously modulated to achieve tunable TADF-RTP. Aggregated phosphorescence originates from intermolecular CT initiated by CT dimers, whereas monomeric TADF is facilitated by intramolecular CT enhanced by π-π dimers. Leveraging the properties of these molecules, luminescent materials with tunable TADF-RTP properties in multistates are obtained by molecular substitution position alignment, dealing with different solvents, grinding, adjusting concentration, changing polymer matrix, photoactivation, and heat treatment. This work is critical for a deeper understanding of construction and regulation of the TADF-RTP dual-channel emission, enabling the development of advanced optoelectronic devices with tailored emission properties.

Multiple benefits of new-energy vehicle power battery recycling strategies based on the theory of planned behavior and stimulus organism response.

With the yearly increasing market penetration of new-energy vehicles in China, the retirement of power batteries has gradually become a scale, and most of the waste batteries have entered informal recycling channels, which has induced a series of environmental problems. Considering this issue, we introduced the system dynamics (SD), stimulus organism response (SOR), and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in behavioral economics to establish the environmental economic benefit evaluation model of power battery recycling strategies, and we performed a dynamic simulation analysis on the effect of government subsidy policy, policy advocacy, and other recycling strategies. The results show that: (1) the recovery subsidy policy can improve the formal recycling quantity and economic benefits of recovery, but the effect on the degree of environmental pollution is limited. (2) The combination of environmental awareness promotion strategy and subsidy policy can overcome the shortcomings of subsidy policy and has significant environmental and economic performance. (3) Compared with the benchmark scenario, the formal recycling quantity, the CO2 emission reduction, and the economic benefits of recovery in scenario 4 (high subsidy-high policy propaganda strategy) increased by approximately 112 %, 208 %, and 223 %, respectively, and the degree of environmental pollution decreased by approximately 65 %.

MeCP2 Deficiency Alters the Response Selectivity of Prefrontal Cortical Neurons to Different Social Stimuli.

Rett syndrome (RTT), a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the MeCP2 gene, is characterized by cognitive and social deficits. Previous studies have noted hypoactivity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) pyramidal neurons of MeCP2-deficient mice (RTT mice) in response to both social and nonsocial stimuli. To further understand the neural mechanisms behind the social deficits of RTT mice, we monitored excitatory pyramidal neurons in the prelimbic region of the mPFC during social interactions in mice. These neurons' activity was closely linked to social preference, especially in wild-type mice. However, RTT mice showed reduced social interest and corresponding hypoactivity in these neurons, indicating that impaired mPFC activity contributes to their social deficits. We identified six mPFC neural ensembles selectively tuned to various stimuli, with RTT mice recruiting fewer neurons to ensembles responsive to social interactions and consistently showing lower stimulus-ON ensemble transient rates. Despite these lower rates, RTT mice exhibited an increase in the percentage of social-ON neurons in later sessions, suggesting a compensatory mechanism for the decreased firing rate. This highlights the limited plasticity in the mPFC caused by MeCP2 deficiency and offers insights into the neural dynamics of social encoding. The presence of multifunctional neurons and those specifically responsive to social or object stimuli in the mPFC emphasizes its crucial role in complex behaviors and cognitive functions, with selective neuron engagement suggesting efficiency in neural activation that optimizes responses to environmental stimuli.

Preparation of Gradient HEA-DAC/HPA Hydrogels by Limited Domain Swelling Method.

Hydrogels are widely used in biological dressing, tissue scaffolding, drug delivery, sensors, and other promising applications owing to their water-rich soft structures, biocompatibility, and adjustable mechanical properties. However, most of the conventional hydrogels are isotropic. The anisotropic structures existed widely in the organizational structure of plants and animals, which played a crucial role in biological systems. In this work, a method of limited domain swelling to prepare anisotropic hydrogels is proposed. Through spatially controlled swelling, the extension direction of hydrogels can be limited by a tailored mold, further achieving anisotropic hydrogels with concentration gradients. The external solution serves as a swelling solution to promote swelling and extension of the hydrogel matrix in a mold which can control the extension direction. Due to the diversity of external solutions, the method can be applied to prepare a variety of stimulus-responsive polymers. The limited domain swelling method is promising for the construction of anisotropic hydrogels with different structures and properties.

Promoting Consumers' Sustainable Consumption of Online Retail Cold Chain Logistics Services: Extended Applications of SOR and Cognitive-Affective-Conative Theories.

As food safety awareness rises and living standards improve, consumers have increasingly higher expectations for the efficiency and quality of cold chain logistics services. For cold chain logistics service providers, accurately understanding consumer psychology and enhancing their willingness to continue using the service-while guiding them to actively participate in green cold chain logistics practices-are necessary means to maintain competitiveness. Therefore, based on stimulus-organism-response and cognitive-affective-conative theories, this study constructs a three-stage model to explore the factors influencing consumers' continuous consumption of online retail cold chain delivery services. This study substantiates that consumers' intention to continue consuming proceeds through the following three stages: cognitive, affective, and conative. Specifically, the results indicate that consumer- and environment-oriented services significantly enhance consumer value and psychological empowerment, which further promotes their intention to continue using the service and participate in green practices. Moreover, psychological empowerment and perceived value fully and partially mediate the relationship between the two types of services and consumer sustainable consumption, respectively. These findings expand the research on cold chain consumption and deepen our understanding of how various factors influence consumer behavior.

Reconstruction of natural images from human fMRI using a three-stage multi-level deep fusion model.

BACKGROUND: Image reconstruction is a critical task in brain decoding research, primarily utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. However, due to challenges such as limited samples in fMRI data, the quality of reconstruction results often remains poor. NEW METHOD: We proposed a three-stage multi-level deep fusion model (TS-ML-DFM). The model employed a three-stage training process, encompassing components such as image encoders, generators, discriminators, and fMRI encoders. In this method, we incorporated distinct supplementary features derived separately from depth images and original images. Additionally, the method integrated several components, including a random shift module, dual attention module, and multi-level feature fusion module. RESULTS: In both qualitative and quantitative comparisons on the Horikawa17 and VanGerven10 datasets, our method exhibited excellent performance. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: For example, on the primary Horikawa17 dataset, our method was compared with other leading methods based on metrics the average hash value, histogram similarity, mutual information, structural similarity accuracy, AlexNet(2), AlexNet(5), and pairwise human perceptual similarity accuracy. Compared to the second-ranked results in each metric, the proposed method achieved improvements of 0.99 %, 3.62 %, 3.73 %, 2.45 %, 3.51 %, 0.62 %, and 1.03 %, respectively. In terms of the SwAV top-level semantic metric, a substantial improvement of 10.53 % was achieved compared to the second-ranked result in the pixel-level reconstruction methods. CONCLUSIONS: The TS-ML-DFM method proposed in this study, when applied to decoding brain visual patterns using fMRI data, has outperformed previous algorithms, thereby facilitating further advancements in research within this field.

Physiological Stimulus for the Synthesis of Basement Membrane Proteins Leading to Its Reconstruction.

The aim of the present study was to report the remodeling of the basement membrane through physiological stimulus during the treatment of fibrosis in a lower limb with lymphedema. A clinical trial was conducted involving the evaluation of the basement membrane in skin biopsies before and after treatment for clinical stage II lower limb lymphedema using the Godoy method for the reversal of lymphedema and skin fibrosis. The samples were stained with Gomori's reticulin stain and evaluated using Weibel's multipoint morphometric method at the Godoy Clinic. Prior to treatment for lymphedema, rupture and important discontinuity of the basement membrane was found. After treatment, structural continuity and thickness had returned to the regions of previous rupture. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05, paired t-test). The present study reports that physiological stimuli targeting the lymphatic system led to the clinical reversal of fibrosis, as well as stimulate the synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins and the reconstruction of the basal lamina of the skin.

Inducing select/reject control in a matching-to-sample procedure with observing response: Effects on stimulus equivalence.

This study investigated a three-choice matching-to-sample procedure with an observing-response requirement to induce select and reject control during baseline training and examined their effects on the formation of equivalence classes. The study involved four girls, aged 8 to 10 years, who participated in a computer-based task that alternated between conditions designed to induce select and reject control by requiring observing responses to display the stimuli. In the select-control condition, the correct stimulus was revealed first on at least 75% of the trials, increasing the likelihood of selecting the correct stimulus without seeing the incorrect ones. In contrast, in the reject-control condition, the correct stimulus was revealed third on at least 75% of the trials, forcing the display of both incorrect stimuli. This procedure successfully generated both select and reject control, which increased progressively with the accuracy during baseline training trials. Select control was more prominent than reject control, but both led to the formation of equivalence classes. This finding suggests that reject control does not hinder control by the correct stimulus.

Investigation of synergistic interaction of sinensetin, eupatorin, and 3'-hydroxy-5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone in vasodilation efficacy.

Modern medicines often follow a "single-compound, single-target" paradigm, which may not be effective against complex diseases with multifactorial causes. Medicinal plants, such as Orthosiphon stamineus-widely used in Southeast Asia for its significant vasodilatory and antihypertensive properties-offer an alternative. These effects are largely attributed to the synergistic actions of sinensetin, eupatorin, and 3'-hydroxy-5,6,7,4'- tetramethoxyflavone (TMF). The present study was designed to explore the interactions among these compounds and their collective impact on vasodilation. The current investigation utilized in vitro aortic ring assays and an orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility approach to unveil the synergistic interactions of sinensetin, eupatorin, and TMF in specific combination ratios within compatibility groups. The current results showed that G2, G7, G27, and G28 achieved vasodilatory efficacies exceeding 100%, with recorded efficacies of 190%, 148%, 117.6%, and 116.25%, respectively. Conversely, formulation F1 exhibited only additive effects with an efficacy of 88.02%. The dose-response study revealed G28 exhibited the strongest concentration-dependent vasodilatory responses, with a maximum response (RMAX) of 119.05 ± 3.29% and an EC50 of 6.78 ± 0.70 µg/mL. Conversely, G2, despite showing the highest efficacy in the orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility study, demonstrated a lower vasodilatory effect, with RMAX R and EC50 recorded at 85.78 ± 12.67% and 15.32 ± 3.07 µg/mL, respectively. These findings highlight the complexities of compound interactions in plants and underscore the potential of botanical medicines as comprehensive healthcare solutions for multifactorial diseases.

Development of bait station to complement attract-and-kill agents of Zeugodacus tau (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Zeugodacus tau (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is an important agricultural pest currently managed primarily through the application of insecticides due to limited control strategies. Bait station devices are target specific and have emerged as a behaviorally based alternative to traditional insecticide sprays for managing Z. tau. In this study, we designed a bait station by integrating female-biased olfactory, visual, and gustatory elements, and a killing agent in a wax-matrix. Our results showed that the wax-matrix integrated with spinetoram showed the highest toxicity to immature and mature Z. tau females. Furthermore, the color and shape of the spinetoram bait station significantly influenced its attractiveness and toxicity to female Z. tau. Green sausage-shaped exteriors were the most effective color and shape examined. Subsequent experiments showed a length-dependent effect on mortality and visiting frequencies of Z. tau females when the bait stations were 9-13 cm long. The addition of the olfactory stimulus of 5% ammonium acetate to the bait station attracted a higher number of mature Z. tau females than the control. The killing efficacy of the weathered bait station was similar to that of the fresh station within an 8-week period (over 794 mm of rainfall). The bait station developed herein would provide new insight into the attract-and-kill strategy for Z. tau and alleviate the pressure of the actual management program for this pest.

The Discrepancy Between External and Internal Load/Intensity during Blood Flow Restriction Exercise: Understanding Blood Flow Restriction Pressure as Modulating Factor.

Physical exercise induces acute psychophysiological responses leading to chronic adaptations when the exercise stimulus is applied repeatedly, at sufficient time periods, and with appropriate magnitude. To maximize long-term training adaptations, it is crucial to control and manipulate the external load and the resulting psychophysiological strain. Therefore, scientists have developed a theoretical framework that distinguishes between the physical work performed during exercise (i.e., external load/intensity) and indicators of the body's psychophysiological response (i.e., internal load/intensity). However, the application of blood flow restriction (BFR) during exercise with low external loads/intensities (e.g., ≤ 30% of the one-repetition-maximum, ≤ 50% of maximum oxygen uptake) can induce physiological and perceptual responses, which are commonly associated with high external loads/intensities. This current opinion aimed to emphasize the mismatch between external and internal load/intensity when BFR is applied during exercise. In this regard, there is evidence that BFR can be used to manipulate both external load/intensity (by reducing total work when exercise is performed to exhaustion) and internal load/intensity (by leading to higher physiological and perceptual responses compared to exercise performed with the same external load/intensity without BFR). Furthermore, it is proposed to consider BFR as an additional exercise determinant, given that the amount of BFR pressure can determine not only the internal but also external load/intensity. Finally, terminological recommendations for the use of the proposed terms in the scientific context and for practitioners are given, which should be considered when designing, reporting, discussing, and presenting BFR studies, exercise, and/or training programs.

Microgel delivery systems of functional substances for precision nutrition.

Microgels delivery system have great potential in functional substances encapsulation, protection, release, precise delivery and nutritional intervention. Microgel is a three-dimensional network structure formed by physical or chemical crosslinking of biopolymers, whose characteristics include dispersion and swelling, stable structure, small volume and high specific surface area, and is a special kind of colloid. In this chapter, the common wall materials for preparing food grade microgels, and the main preparation principles, methods, advantages and disadvantages of microgels loaded with functional substances were firstly reviewed. Then the main characteristics of microgel as delivery system, such as deformability, high encapsulation, stimulus-responsive release and targeted delivery, and its potential benefits in intervening chronic diseases were summarized. Finally, the applications of microgel delivery system for functional substance in the field of precision nutrition were discussed. This chapter will help to design of next-generation advanced targeting microgel delivery system, and realize precision nutrition intervention of food functional substances on body health.

Evaluating mental chronometry as a quantitative measure of information processing in early childhood autism.

OBJECTIVES: Mental chronometry is the scientific study of cognitive processing speed measured by reaction time (RT), which is the elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus and an individual's response. This study aims at measuring the RT among young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and comparing it with normal (typically developing) children. METHODS: 60 ASD children were selected from different ASD centers, and 60 normal children were selected from different kindergartens for participation in this study. Participants were aged 3-6 years old. The RT was measured using the Fitlight trainer device. The findings were statistically evaluated using independent t-tests and ANOVA tests. RESULT: Significant differences (p < 0.0001) were found between both groups in all tasks, and ASD children demonstrated slower RT compared to the normal group. The RT measured through three senses (visual, auditory, and touch) for ASD and normal were 3.64 ± 2.16, 13.19 ± 2.41(trial), 1835.23 ± 757.95, 697.12 ± 87.83 (second), and 1550.89 ± 499.76, 752.67 ± 124.02 (second) respectively. CONCLUSION: The evaluated RT showed significant impairment in RT among ASD in comparison to normal children and this was true for the three senses. The Fitlight trainer could be used to assess RT and stimulus-response among ASD children in various cognitive tasks. Similar studies, involving larger samples from different areas and involving other sense organs, are indicated to confirm the results.

Cold Tolerance in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Organisms receive environmental information and respond accordingly in order to survive and proliferate. Temperature is the environmental factor of most immediate importance, as exceeding its life-supporting range renders essential biochemical reactions impossible. In this chapter, we introduce the mechanisms underlying cold tolerance and temperature acclimation in a model organism-the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, at molecular and physiological levels. Recent investigations utilizing molecular genetics and neural calcium imaging have unveiled a novel perspective on cold tolerance within the nematode worm. Notably, the ASJ neuron, previously known to possess photosensitive properties, has been found to sense temperature and regulate the sperm and gut cell-mediated pathway underlying cold tolerance. We will also explore C. elegans' cold tolerance and cold acclimation at the molecular and tissue levels.

Object-oriented olfaction: challenges for chemosensation and for chemosensory research.

Many animal species use olfaction to extract information about objects in their environment. Yet, the specific molecular signature that any given object emits varies due to various factors. Here, we detail why such variability makes chemosensory-mediated object recognition such a hard problem, and we propose that a major function of the elaborate chemosensory network is to overcome it. We describe previous work addressing different elements of the problem and outline future research directions that we consider essential for a full understanding of object-oriented olfaction. In particular, we call for extensive representation of olfactory object variability in chemical, behavioral, and electrophysiological analyses. While written with an emphasis on macrosmatic mammalian species, our arguments apply to all organisms that employ chemosensation to navigate complex environments.

Functional conductivity imaging: quantitative mapping of brain activity.

Theory and modelling suggest that detection of neuronal activity may be feasible using phase sensitive MRI methods. Successful detection of neuronal activity both in vitro and in vivo has been described while others have reported negative results. Magnetic resonance electrical properties tomography may be a route by which signal changes can be identified. Here, we report successful and repeatable detection at 3 Tesla of human brain activation in response to visual and somatosensory stimuli using a functional version of tissue conductivity imaging (funCI). This detects activation in both white and grey matter with apparent tissue conductivity changes of 0.1 S/m (17-20%, depending on the tissue baseline conductivity measure) allowing visualization of complete system circuitry. The degree of activation scales with the degree of the stimulus (duration or contrast). The conductivity response functions show a distinct timecourse from that of traditional fMRI haemodynamic (BOLD or Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent) response functions, peaking within milliseconds of stimulus cessation and returning to baseline within 3-4 s. We demonstrate the utility of the funCI approach by showing robust activation of the lateral somatosensory circuitry on stimulation of an index finger, on stimulation of a big toe or of noxious (heat) stimulation of the face as well as activation of visual circuitry on visual stimulation in up to five different individuals. The sensitivity and repeatability of this approach provides further evidence that magnetic resonance imaging approaches can detect brain activation beyond changes in blood supply.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Circadian Stimulus in Swedish Radiographers' Light Environment.

Background: Timely light exposure is a vital aspect to achieve better sleep and well-being. As there are risks with a disturbed circadian rhythm and benefits with light settings that stimulate the rhythm, the circadian effective light, circadian stimulus (CS), for radiographers was examined. Aim: The aim of the study was to compare radiographers' light environment on the workstations, at a university hospital in Southern Sweden in the form of CS and relate that to recommendations published by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Method: A cross-sectional method has been applied. The measurements for CS were collected in all labs in the radiology department in the middle of January. Result: A total of 804 measures were evenly collected resulting in a median for the 19 labs, where the observed median for all labs was 0.091 CS which is significantly lower than the recommended value of 0.3 CS (p < .001). Comparing work light settings with maximum light levels in the brightest and darkest labs showed a significant difference (p < .001). Conclusion: The CS values in the labs, at the radiology department at a university hospital in Southern Sweden, do not reach the recommended values of circadian stimulus published by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency when the radiographers themselves set the light. There is a potential for improvement as a significant difference could be seen between the chosen level of light and the maximum possible level of light.