Characterization of damage mechanisms in cortical bone: Quantification of fracture resistance, critical strains, and crack tortuosity.

One step towards understanding bone fragility and degenerative diseases is to unravel the links between fracture resistance and the compositional and structural characteristics of cortical bone. In this study, we explore an optical method for automatic crack detection to generate full fracture resistance curves of cortical bone. We quantify fracture toughness, critical failure strains at the crack tip, and crack tortuosity in three directions and analyze how they relate to cortical bone microstructure.

A neurometabolic mechanism involving dmPFC/dACC lactate in physical effort-based decision-making.

Motivation levels vary across individuals, yet the underlying mechanisms driving these differences remain elusive. The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dmPFC/dACC) and the anterior insula (aIns) play crucial roles in effort-based decision-making. Here, we investigate the influence of lactate, a key metabolite involved in energy metabolism and signaling, on decisions involving both physical and mental effort, as well as its effects on neural activation.

How do visual skills relate to action video game performance?

It has been claimed that video gamers possess increased perceptual and cognitive skills compared to non-video gamers. Here, we examined to which extent gaming performance in CS:GO (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) correlates with visual performance. We tested 94 players ranging from beginners to experts with a battery of visual paradigms, such as visual acuity and contrast detection.