ZmHSFA2B self-regulatory loop is critical for heat tolerance in maize.

The growth and development of maize (Zea mays L.) are significantly impeded by prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Heat stress transcription factors (HSFs) play crucial roles in enabling plants to detect and respond to elevated temperatures.

Effects of positive psychology intervention based on the PERMA model on psychological status and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Objective: To explore the effect of a positive psychology intervention based on the PERMA model on depressive mood and the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: A total of 60 patients with PD with depression hospitalised between February 2022 and February 2023 were selected using a convenience sampling method. They were divided into a study group (30 cases) and control group (30 cases) using the random number table method.

How Do the Four Core Factors of High Entropy Affect the Electrochemical Properties of Energy-Storage Materials?

High-entropy materials (HEMs) are extremely popular for electrochemical energy storage nowadays. However, the detailed effects of four core factors of high entropy on the electrochemical properties of HEMs are still unclear. Here, a high-entropy LaCePrNdNbO (HE-LaNbO) oxide is prepared through multiple rare-metal-ion substitution in LaNbO, and uses HE-LaNbO as a model material to systematically study the effects of the four core factors of high entropy on electrochemical energy-storage materials.

Role of dopamine in reward expectation and predictability during execution of action sequences.

Reward-associated cues serve different functions depending on whether they precede or terminate action sequences. Cues that precede action sequences and signal opportunity for reward could serve as GO signals to initiate the sequence, whereas sequence termination cues could serve as response feedback by signaling reward delivery. Reward expectation during sequence execution depends on these cues and might condition whether behavior is habitual or goal-directed.

"Zero-Strain" NiNbO Fibers for All-Climate Lithium Storage.

Niobates are promising all-climate Li-storage anode material due to their fast charge transport, large specific capacities, and resistance to electrolyte reaction. However, their moderate unit-cell-volume expansion (generally 5%-10%) during Li storage causes unsatisfactory long-term cyclability. Here, "zero-strain" NiNbO fibers are explored as a new anode material with comprehensively good electrochemical properties.

Customized Pore Creation Strategies for Hyperelastic, Robust, Insulating Multifunctional MXene Aerogels for Microwave Absorption.

The construction of heterogeneous microstructure and the selection of multicomponents have turned into a research hotspot in developing ultralight, multifunctional, high-efficiency electromagnetic wave absorbing (EMA) materials. Although aerogels are promising materials to fulfill the above requirements, the increase in functional fillers inevitably leads to the deterioration of intrinsic properties. Tuning the electromagnetic properties from the structural design point of view remains a difficult challenge.

Acetonitrile-Based Local High-Concentration Electrolytes for Advanced Lithium Metal Batteries.

Acetonitrile (AN) is a compelling electrolyte solvent for high-voltage and fast-charging batteries, but its reductive instability makes it incompatible with lithium metal anodes (LMAs). Herein, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether (TTE) is used as the diluent to build an AN-based local high-concentration electrolyte (LHCE) to realize dense, dendrite-free, and stable LMAs. Such LHCE exhibits an exceptional electrochemical stability window close to 6 V (vs Li/Li), excellent wettability, and promising flame retardancy.

Nanozyme Catalytic Performance Enhancement through Defect and Electronic Structure Regulation of Metal-Doped NiCoO@Pd.

Spinel oxides have emerged as a promising candidate in the realm of nanozymes with variable oxidation states, while their limited active sites and low conductivity hinder further application. In this work, we synthesize a series of metal-doped NiCoO nanospheres decorated with Pd, which are deployed as highly efficient nanozymes for the detection of cancer biomarkers. Through meticulous modulation of the molar ratio between NiCoO and Pd, we orchestrated precise control over the oxygen vacancies and electronic structure within the nanozymes, a key factor in amplifying the catalytic prowess.

Mesostriatal dopamine is sensitive to changes in specific cue-reward contingencies.

Learning causal relationships relies on understanding how often one event precedes another. To investigate how dopamine neuron activity and neurotransmitter release change when a retrospective relationship is degraded for a specific pair of events, we used outcome-selective Pavlovian contingency degradation in rats. Conditioned responding was attenuated for the cue-reward contingency that was degraded, as was dopamine neuron activity in the midbrain and dopamine release in the ventral striatum in response to the cue and subsequent reward.

Analysis of Factors Related to the Efficacy of Consciousness-Regaining Therapy for Prolonged Disorder of Consciousness: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To analyze the factors related to the efficacy of consciousness-regaining therapy (CRT) for prolonged disorder of consciousness.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the case data of 114 patients with prolonged disorder of consciousness (pDOC) admitted to the Department of Functional Neurosurgery of Tianjin Huanhu Hospital from January 2019 to January 2022 to explore the relevant factors that affect the efficacy of CRT for pDOC. Next, basic information on the cases, data on pDOC disease assessment, CRT methods, and efficacy evaluation were collected.

Chronic Ethanol Exposure Produces Sex-Dependent Impairments in Value Computations in the Striatum.

Value-based decision-making relies on the striatum, where neural plasticity can be altered by chronic ethanol (EtOH) exposure, but the effects of such plasticity on striatal neural dynamics during decision-making remain unclear. This study investigated the long-term impacts of EtOH on reward-driven decision-making and striatal neurocomputations in male and female rats using a dynamic probabilistic reversal learning task. Following a prolonged withdrawal period, EtOH-exposed male rats exhibited deficits in adaptability and exploratory behavior, with aberrant outcome-driven value updating that heightened preference for chosen action.

Effects of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation using different frequency programming paradigms on axial symptoms in advanced Parkinson's disease.

Background: In advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), axial symptoms are common and can be debilitating. Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) significantly improves motor symptoms, conventional high-frequency stimulation (HFS) has limited effectiveness in improving axial symptoms. In this study, we investigated the effects on multiple axial symptoms after DBS surgery with three different frequency programming paradigms comprising HFS, low-frequency stimulation (LFS), and variable-frequency stimulation (VFS).

Pramipexole restores behavioral inhibition in highly impulsive rats through a paradoxical modulation of frontostriatal networks.

Impulse control disorders (ICDs), a wide spectrum of maladaptive behaviors which includes pathological gambling, hypersexuality and compulsive buying, have been recently suggested to be triggered or aggravated by treatments with dopamine D receptor agonists, such as pramipexole (PPX). Despite evidence showing that impulsivity is associated with functional alterations in corticostriatal networks, the neural basis of the exacerbation of impulsivity by PPX has not been elucidated. Here we used a hotspot analysis to assess the functional recruitment of several corticostriatal structures by PPX in male rats identified as highly (HI), moderately impulsive (MI) or with low levels of impulsivity (LI) in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT).

Polyvinylpyrrolidone-assisted synthesis of ultrathin multi-nanolayered CuNbO for advanced Li storage.

The ultrathin multi-nanolayered structure with ultrathin monolayer thickness (<10 nm) and certain interlayer spacing can significantly shorten Li paths and alleviate the volume effect for Li-storage materials. However, unlike layered materials such as MXene and MoS, shear ReO-type niobates have difficulty forming ultrathin multi-nanolayered structures due to their crystal structures, which still remains a challenge. Herein, by a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-assisted solvothermal method, we first synthesize ultrathin multi-nanolayered CuNbO with oxygen vacancies composed of ultrathin nanolayers (2-10 nm in thickness) and interlayer spacing (1-5 nm).

Identification of potential immunologic resilience in the healing process of diabetic foot ulcers.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are one of the most common and challenging complications of diabetes, yet our understanding of their pathogenesis remains limited. We collected gene expression data of DFU patients from public databases. Bioinformatics tools were applied for systematic analysis, including the identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and enrichment analysis.

Borate-Based Artificial Solid-Electrolyte Interphase Enabling Stable Lithium Metal Anodes.

Lithium (Li) metal is considered as the "holy grail" of anode materials for next-generation high energy batteries. However, notorious dendrite growth and interfacial instability could induce irreversible capacity loss and safety issues, limiting the practical application of Li metal anodes. Herein, we develop a novel approach to construct a borate-based artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (designated as B-SEI) through the reaction of metallic Li with triethylamine borane (TEAB).

Exploring the network effects of deep brain stimulation for rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder in Parkinson's disease.

Background: The research findings on the effects of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) with Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) are inconsistent, and there is a lack of research on DBS electrode sites and their network effects for the explanation of the differences. Our objective is to explore the optimal stimulation sites (that is the sweet spot) and the brain network effects of STN-DBS for RBD in PD.

Methods: In this study, among the 50 PD patients who underwent STN-DBS treatment, 24 PD patients with RBD were screened.

A Novel High-Isolation Dual-Polarized Patch Antenna with Two In-Band Transmission Zeros.

In this study, we present a novel dual-polarized patch antenna that exhibits high isolation and two in-band transmission zeros (TZs). The design consists of a suspended metal patch, two feeding probes connected to an internal neutralization line (I-NL), and a T-shaped decoupling network (T-DN). The I-NL is responsible for generating the first TZ, and its decoupling principles are explained through an equivalent circuit model.

A Bandpass Filter Realized by Using Pixel Structure and Genetic Algorithm Optimization.

This paper presents a flexible method for designing a bandpass filter (BPF) using pixel structure and genetic algorithm (GA) optimization. The pixel structure is made up of a grid of metallic microstrip stubs, and the GA is utilized to determine the connections between these stubs. The pixel structure enables the construction of step impedance and shunt branches, which are used to design a traditional BPF.

Temperature Effects on Electrochemical Energy-Storage Materials: A Case Study of Yttrium Niobate Porous Microspheres.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are very popular electrochemical energy-storage devices. However, their applications in extreme environments are hindered because their low- and high-temperature electrochemical performance is currently unsatisfactory. In order to build all-climate LIBs, it is highly desirable to fully understand the underlying temperature effects on electrode materials.

Linking input- and cell-type-specific synaptic plasticity to the reinforcement of alcohol-seeking behavior.

The reinforcement of voluntary alcohol-seeking behavior requires dopamine-dependent long-term synaptic plasticity in the striatum. Specifically, the long-term potentiation (LTP) of direct-pathway medium spiny neurons (dMSNs) in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) promotes alcohol drinking. However, it remains unclear whether alcohol induces input-specific plasticity onto dMSNs and whether this plasticity directly drives instrumental conditioning.

Catalytic Chemistry Derived Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Stable Lithium Metal Anodes Working at 20 mA cm and 20 mAh cm.

A stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer is crucial for lithium metal anode (LMA) to survive in long-term cycling. However, chaotic structures and chemical inhomogeneity of natural SEI make LMA suffering from exasperating dendrite growth and severe electrode pulverization, which hinder the practical application of LMAs. Here, we design a catalyst-derived artificial SEI layer with an ordered polyamide-lithium hydroxide (PA-LiOH) bi-phase structure to modulate ion transport and enable dendrite-free Li deposition.