Contingency learning of social cues: neural engagement and emotional modulation by facial expressions.

Contingency learning-the fundamental process by which associations are formed between events in our experience is as relevant of conditioning as it is for social interactions, where emotional cues, such as facial expressions, signal complex and reciprocal causal dynamics. This study investigates the functional neuroanatomy underlying contingency perception by with three type of contingent relation (positive, zero, and negative) using sad and happy facial expressions as stimuli in a group of neurotypical participants. Employing a streaming trial paradigm and functional MRI, we examined how these emotional contingencies engage brain regions involved in attention and predictive processing.

Fast Screening Libraries of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPRs) for Insecticidal Activity.

Aims: Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are ubiquitous among soil bacteria and aid in many growth-related functions for plants. Recent biotechnological advancements involving PGPRs have led to a growing desire to explore and uncover combinatorial or dual use PGPRs. Our study aimed to discover novel insecticidal phenotypes amongst PGPR libraries.

Talking the same language: Co-production of a palaeoecological investigation to inform heathland management.

There is a recognised role for the integration of palaeoecological data into conservation management, but its application remains hampered by a disconnect between academics and practitioners. We co-produced a palaeoecological investigation with conservation practitioners at an internationally important lowland heathland in the UK, to highlight the value of synergistic working between researchers and managers. We used a multi-proxy approach to reconstruct the site's ecological history over the past c.

It is hard to be a robot in the wild.

The family movie illustrates the rigors of real-world field robotics.

Scattering insights into shear-induced scission of rod-like micelles.

Hypothesis: Understanding the scission of rod-like micelles under mechanical forces is crucial for optimizing their stability and behavior in industrial applications. This study investigates how micelle length, flexibility, and external forces interact, offering insights into the design of micellar systems in processes influenced by mechanical stress. Although significant, direct experimental observations of flow-induced micellar scission using scattering techniques remain scarce.