Reverse-engineering the Venus figurines: An eco-life-course hypothesis for the aetiology of obesity in the Palaeolithic.

Evolutionary perspectives on obesity have been dominated by genetic frameworks, but plastic responses are also central to its aetiology. While often considered a relatively modern phenomenon, obesity was recorded during the Palaeolithic through small statuettes of the female form (Venus figurines). Even if the phenotype was rare, these statuettes indicate that some women achieved large body sizes during the last glacial maximum, a period of nutritional stress.

Perineuronal Nets in Syrian Hamsters: Anatomical Localization, Sex Differences, Diurnal Variation, and Response to Social Stress.

Purpose: Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are extracellular matrix proteoglycans surrounding neurons and glia. It has been suggested that PNNs are involved in the pathophysiology of multiple CNS illnesses, including stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders.

Method: Before examining the putative role of PNNs in stress-related responses, we described for the first time the anatomical distribution in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), an excellent model organism for studying social stress and circadian rhythms.

Brain networks and intelligence: A graph neural network based approach to resting state fMRI data.

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) is a powerful tool for investigating the relationship between brain function and cognitive processes as it allows for the functional organization of the brain to be captured without relying on a specific task or stimuli. In this paper, we present a novel modeling architecture called BrainRGIN for predicting intelligence (fluid, crystallized and total intelligence) using graph neural networks on rsfMRI derived static functional network connectivity matrices. Extending from the existing graph convolution networks, our approach incorporates a clustering-based embedding and graph isomorphism network in the graph convolutional layer to reflect the nature of the brain sub-network organization and efficient network expression, in combination with TopK pooling and attention-based readout functions.

Consistent frontal-limbic-occipital connections in distinguishing treatment-resistant and non-treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

Background And Hypothesis: Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TR-SZ) and non-treatment-resistant schizophrenia (NTR-SZ) lack specific biomarkers to distinguish from each other. This investigation aims to identify consistent dysfunctional brain connections with different atlases, multiple feature selection strategies, and several classifiers in distinguishing TR-SZ and NTR-SZ.

Study Design: 55 TR-SZs, 239 NTR-SZs, and 87 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited from the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.

Modeling sub-exponential epidemic growth dynamics through unobserved individual heterogeneity: a frailty model approach.

Traditional compartmental models of epidemic transmission often predict an initial phase of exponential growth, assuming uniform susceptibility and interaction within the population. However, empirical outbreak data frequently show early stages of sub-exponential growth in case incidences, challenging these assumptions and indicating that traditional models may not fully encompass the complexity of epidemic dynamics. This discrepancy has been addressed through models that incorporate early behavioral changes or spatial constraints within contact networks.

Location choice of Air quality monitors in China.

Since 2013, China has added more than four thousand air quality monitoring stations that provide the public with real-time information on six airborne pollutants, i.e., particulate matter (PM) 2.

Elevated uric acid level and metabolic syndrome in Non-Hispanic Black American adults.

Objectives: To ascertain the direct and indirect link between elevated uric acid (eUA) and metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) in Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) American adults.

Design: Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to disentangle the U.S.

Changes in retail cigarette price after tax increase: Findings from the 2018-2020 ITC Vietnam surveys.

Introduction: No longitudinal study has investigated the impact of cigarette tax increases on retail prices in Vietnam. This study aims to describe changes in the purchase price of cigarettes following an excise tax increase from 70% to 75% in January 2019.

Methods: Data were collected from people who currently smoke cigarettes in the longitudinal ITC Vietnam surveys: 1870 participants in Wave 1 (pre-increase), 1564 in Wave 2 (post-increase), and 1308 in Wave 3 (post-increase).

Evaluating a screening-to-intervention model with caregiver training for response to name among children with autism.

Among the developmental milestones related to language and communication in early childhood, one that has been the subject of considerable research is response to name (RTN). Delayed or absent RTN in early childhood is a diagnostic marker for autism spectrum disorder and a target behavior in many early intervention curricula. This article describes two related studies.

Examining Engagement Calendar Deviations in Assisted Living: A Focus on Residents With Dementia.

Early in our longitudinal qualitative study on meaningful engagement and quality of life among assisted living (AL) residents with dementia, researchers observed differences between the activities scheduled on monthly engagement calendars and those taking place. Yet, we were unable to identify any research examining such deviations or their implications. Thus, drawing on data from three diverse AL communities studied over a one-year period, we aim to: 1) examine deviations in scheduled engagement programming; 2) identify influential factors; and 3) understand resident outcomes.

Structure of the SMYD2-PARP1 Complex Reveals Both Productive and Allosteric Modes of Peptide Binding.

Allosteric regulation allows proteins to dynamically respond to environmental cues by modulating activity at sites away from the catalytic center. Despite its importance, the SET-domain protein lysine methyltransferase superfamily has been understudied. Here, we present four crystal structures of SMYD2, a unique family member with a MYND domain.

Intimate Partner Violence Experiences among Men Who Have Sex in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is a pressing issue among men who have sex with men (MSM) and has profound health implications. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of IPV and identify factors associated with its occurrence among MSM in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2023 at an MSM-friendly sexual health clinic in Hanoi.

Deaf adult insights into elements of classroom discourse altered in interpretation.

In this study, 19 college-educated deaf adults with experience using interpreters in educational settings provided insights into how successfully various elements of classroom discourse were preserved through interpretation. The deaf adults, fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and experienced at using interpreters, watched educational interpreters' renditions of an elementary school art lesson, and answered questions, providing information about the clarity, completeness, and coherence of the message. Next, the deaf adults were asked to compare what they saw in the first interpretation of the lesson to what was conveyed in a second iteration by a highly experienced interpreter familiar with the lesson whose first language is ASL.

Training primates to forage in virtual 3D environments.

Virtual environment software is increasingly being employed as a non-invasive method in primate cognition research. Familiar and novel stimuli can be presented in new ways, opening the door to studying aspects of cognition in captivity which previously may not have been feasible. Despite the increased complexity of visual input compared to more traditional computerised studies, several groups of captive primates have now been trained to navigate virtual three-dimensional environments.

Event-level effects of alcohol, cannabis, and simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use on bystander intentions in response to hypothetical situations among college women.

Bystanders can play an important role in preventing alcohol-related harm (e.g., unintentional injury) or sexual aggression.

Conserved Sequences from Dengue Virus Genomes Form Stable G-Quadruplexes.

Arthropod-borne members of the genus cause significant human disease. Four serotypes of dengue virus are endemic globally, and approximately 50 percent of the world's population lives in a dengue-affected area. Complications from immunoenhancement occurring after a secondary infection with a different dengue serotype make vaccine development challenging.

Interactive Effects of Anger and Alcohol Intoxication on Men's Laboratory-Based Sexual Aggression Propensity Following a Masculinity Threat.

Background: The I Model posits that men are more likely to engage in sexual aggression (SA) when instigation (e.g., their masculinity is threatened) and impellance are high (e.

The Role of Goal Source in Escalation of Commitment.

Escalation of commitment is an important decision problem that occurs across different decision contexts. Recognizing that escalation involves one's effort to achieve some form of a goal, researchers have attempted to understand escalation of commitment as a goal-pursuing activity. Prior research works have suggested that escalation situations consist of (1) an initial goal setting phase and (2) an escalation decision-making phase and have investigated how goal difficulty and goal specificity influence escalation decisions.

Prevalence of Positive Childhood Experiences and Associations with Current Anxiety, Depression, and Behavioral or Conduct Problems among U.S. Children Aged 6-17 Years.

Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) have substantial potential to improve children's mental health. We examined the prevalence of 26 specific PCEs, overall and by demographics, and the individual and cumulative effects of PCEs with current diagnosis of three mental health conditions using nationally representative, parent-reported data on U.S.

Cognitive considerations for adults with sickle cell disease completing the brief pain inventory.

Introduction: Accurate assessment of pain severity is important for caring for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The Brief Pain Inventory was developed to address limitations of previous pain-rating metrics and is available in a short form (BPI-SF). However, the BPI-SF is a self-report scale dependent on patient comprehension and interpretation of items.

Protocol: Machine learning for selecting moderators in meta-analysis: A systematic review of methods and their applications, and an evaluation using data on tutoring interventions.

Objectives This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objectives are as follows: The first objective is to find and describe machine and statistical learning (ML) methods designed for moderator meta-analysis. The second objective is to find and describe applications of such ML methods in moderator meta-analyses of health, medical, and social science interventions.