Structural alterations in a rumination-related network in patients with major depressive disorder.

Rumination is a common symptom in major depressive disorder (MDD). Previous work has connected individual differences in rumination to structural properties in various brain regions. Some of these, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), have also been highlighted as being altered in MDD, suggesting a connection between structural changes and ruminative symptoms.

Rapid detection of microfibres in environmental samples using open-source visual recognition models.

Microplastics, particularly microfibres (< 5 mm), are a significant environmental pollutant. Detecting and quantifying them in complex matrices is challenging and time-consuming. This study presents two open-source visual recognition models, YOLOv7 and Mask R-CNN, trained on extensive datasets for efficient microfibre identification in environmental samples.

Multisystemic inflammatory disease in Pheasantshell (Unionidae, Actinonaias pectorosa) associated with Yokenella regensburgei infection at sites experiencing seasonal mass mortality events.

Freshwater mussels are integral components of riverine ecosystems, influencing water quality, nutrient cycling, and habitat characteristics. Enigmatic freshwater mussel declines, often characterized by sudden mass mortality events, pose significant challenges to conservation efforts. The Clinch River, a freshwater biodiversity hotspot in Virginia and Tennessee, USA, has experienced several enigmatic mass mortality events since 2016.

New Oldowan locality Sare-Abururu (ca. 1.7 Ma) provides evidence of diverse hominin behaviors on the Homa Peninsula, Kenya.

The Homa Peninsula, in southwestern Kenya, continues to yield insights into Oldowan hominin landscape behaviors. The Late Pliocene locality of Nyayanga (∼3-2.6 Ma) preserves some of the oldest Oldowan tools.

Functional blindsight and its diagnosis.

Even when brain scans fail to detect a striate lesion, functional evidence for blindsight can be adduced. In the aftermath of an automobile accident, JK became blind. Results of ophthalmic exams indicated that the blindness must be cortical.

Glacial vicariance and secondary contact shape demographic histories in a freshwater mussel species complex.

Characterizing the mechanisms influencing the distribution of genetic variation in aquatic species can be difficult due to the dynamic nature of hydrological landscapes. In North America's Central Highlands, a complex history of glacial dynamics, long-term isolation, and secondary contact have shaped genetic variation in aquatic species. Although the effects of glacial history have been demonstrated in many taxa, responses are often lineage- or species-specific and driven by organismal ecology.

Occurrence and sources of microplastics on Arctic beaches: Svalbard.

Plastic pollution is recognised as a major global environmental concern, especially within marine environments. The small size of microplastics (< 5 mm) make them readily available for ingestion by organisms in all trophic levels. Here, four beach sites in Adventfjorden on the west coast of Svalbard, were sampled with the aim of investigating the occurrence and abundance of microplastics on beaches to assess potential sources of microplastic pollution.

DLPFC-PPC-cTBS effects on metacognitive awareness.

Background: Neuroimaging and lesion studies suggested that the dorsolateral prefrontal and posterior parietal cortices mediate visual metacognitive awareness. The causal evidence provided by non-invasive brain stimulation, however, is inconsistent.

Objective/hypothesis: Here we revisit a major figure discrimination experiment adding a new Kanizsa figure task trying to resolve whether bilateral continuous theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (cTBS) over these regions affects perceptual metacognition.

Description of the mantle lure and novel mimicry of the endangered Cumberlandian Combshell () in the Clinch River, eastern United States.

The Cumberlandian Combshell () is an endangered freshwater mussel endemic to the Tennessee and Cumberland River drainages, major tributaries of the Ohio River of the eastern United States. We conducted mask and snorkel surveys in May and June of 2021 and 2022 to locate, observe, photograph, and video female to document their unique mantle lures at sites in the Clinch River in Tennessee and Virginia. The mantle lure is morphologically specialized mantle tissue that mimics prey items of the host fish.

Expanded geographic distribution and dietary strategies of the earliest Oldowan hominins and .

The oldest Oldowan tool sites, from around 2.6 million years ago, have previously been confined to Ethiopia's Afar Triangle. We describe sites at Nyayanga, Kenya, dated to 3.

Eyes-Open and Eyes-Closed Resting State Network Connectivity Differences.

Resting state networks comprise several brain regions that exhibit complex patterns of interaction. Switching from eyes closed (EC) to eyes open (EO) during the resting state modifies these patterns of connectivity, but precisely how these change remains unclear. Here we use functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan healthy participants in two resting conditions (viz.

Breathing is coupled with voluntary initiation of mental imagery.

Previous research has suggested that bodily signals from internal organs are associated with diverse cortical and subcortical processes involved in sensory-motor functions, beyond homeostatic reflexes. For instance, a recent study demonstrated that the preparation and execution of voluntary actions, as well as its underlying neural activity, are coupled with the breathing cycle. In the current study, we investigated whether such breathing-action coupling is limited to voluntary motor action or whether it is also present for mental actions not involving any overt bodily movement.

Intrinsic neural activity predisposes susceptibility to a body illusion.

Susceptibility to the rubber hand illusion (RHI) varies. To date, however, there is no consensus explanation of this variability. Previous studies, focused on the role of multisensory integration, have searched for neural correlates of the illusion.

Depressive rumination is correlated with brain responses during self-related processing.

Background: Rumination, a tendency to focus on negative self-related thoughts, is a central symptom of depression. Studying the self-related aspect of such symptoms is challenging because of the need to distinguish self effects from the emotional content of task stimuli. This study employed an emotionally neutral self-related paradigm to investigate possible altered self-processing in depression and its link to rumination.

Occipital gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate-glutamine alterations in major depressive disorder: An mrs study and meta-analysis.

The neurotransmitters GABA and glutamate have been suggested to play a role in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) through an imbalance between cortical inhibition and excitation. This effect has been highlighted in higher brain areas, such as the prefrontal cortex, but has also been posited in basic sensory cortices. Based on this, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was used to investigate potential changes to GABA+ and glutamate+glutamine (Glx) concentrations within the occipital cortex in MDD patients (n = 25) and healthy controls (n = 25).

Into Thick(er) Air? Oxygen Availability at Humans' Physiological Frontier on Mount Everest.

Global audiences are captivated by climbers pushing themselves to the limits in the hypoxic environment of Mount Everest. However, air pressure sets oxygen abundance, meaning it varies with the weather and climate warming. This presents safety issues for mountaineers but also an opportunity for public engagement around climate change.

The minimal self hypothesis.

For millennia self has been conjectured to be necessary for consciousness. But scant empirical evidence has been adduced to support this hypothesis. Inconsistent explications of "self" and failure to design apt experiments have impeded progress.

Increases in HIV status disclosure and sexual communication between South African men who have sex with men and their partners following use of HIV self-testing kits.

Availability of HIV self-testing may increase HIV testing frequency among men who have sex with men (MSM). It is unclear, however, if self-testing may impact HIV-related sexual behaviors among MSM, including HIV status disclosure and condom use. We conducted a mixed methods analysis of changes in HIV-related behaviors after HIV self-testing introduction, using data from 110 MSM participating in a feasibility and acceptability study of HIV self-testing in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

Spontaneous thought-related network connectivity predicts sertraline effect on major depressive disorder.

Sertraline is one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by spontaneous thoughts that are laden with negative affect-a "malignant sadness". Prior neuroimaging studies have identified abnormal resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the spontaneous brain networks of MDD patients.

Intrinsic activity temporal structure reactivity to behavioural state change is correlated with depressive symptoms.

The brain's intrinsic activity plays a fundamental role in its function. In normal conditions this activity is responsive to behavioural context, changing as an individual switches between directed tasks and task-free conditions. A key feature of such changes is the movement of the brain between corresponding critical and sub-critical states, with these dynamics supporting efficient cognitive processing.