Mapping the aging brain: Insights into microstructural changes from free water-corrected fractional anisotropy.

Aging has a significant impact on brain structure, demonstrated by numerous MRI studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). While these studies reveal changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) across different brain regions, they tend to focus on white matter tracts and cognitive regions, often overlooking gray matter and motor areas. Additionally, traditional DTI metrics can be affected by partial volume effects.

The Genes of Nigerian Marek's Disease Virus (MDV) Field Isolates Contain Mutations Common to Both European and US High Virulence Strains.

Background: Marek's disease (MD) is a pathology affecting chickens caused by Marek's disease virus (MDV), an acute transforming alphaherpesvirus of the genus . MD is characterized by paralysis, immune suppression, and the rapid formation of T-cell (primarily CD4+) lymphomas. Over the last 50 years, losses due to MDV infection have been controlled worldwide through vaccination; however, these live-attenuated vaccines are non-sterilizing and potentially contributed to the virulence evolution of MDV field strains.

Deciphering the Neural Effects of Emotional, Motivational, and Cognitive Challenges on Inhibitory Control Processes.

Converging lines of research indicate that inhibitory control is likely to be compromised in contexts that place competing demands on emotional, motivational, and cognitive systems, potentially leading to damaging impulsive behavior. The objective of this study was to identify the neural impact of three challenging contexts that typically compromise self-regulation and weaken impulse control. Participants included 66 healthy adults (M/SD = 29.

A Comprehensive Review of Phenolic Compounds in Chia Seeds and Their Applications in the Food Industry.

Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) have emerged as a significant focus in the food industry due to their rich nutritional profile and health-promoting attributes. They are a major powerhouse of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and tocopherols that have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cholesterol functions, enhance cognitive performance, and improve heart health.

A tool to measure maize root system stiffness that enables a comprehensive understanding of plant mechanics and lodging.

Plant mechanical failure, known as lodging, has detrimental impacts on the quality and quantity of maize yields. Failure can occur at stalks (stalk lodging) or at roots (root lodging). While previous research has focused on proxy measures for stalk stiffness, stalk strength, and root strength, there is a need to quantify the root system stiffness, which quantifies the force-displacement relationship.

Rapid-Scan Fourier Transform Infrared Difference Spectroscopy with Two-Dimensional Correlation Analysis to Show the Build-Up of Light-Adapted States in Bacterial Photosynthetic Reaction Centers.

Time-resolved, rapid-scan Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) difference spectra have been recorded upon illumination on photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) from under fixed hydration conditions (relative humidity = 76%). Two different illumination schemes were adopted. Whereas the use of a laser flash (duration: 7 ns) made it possible to follow the kinetics of recombination of the light-induced state PQ to the neutral state PQ, the use of a 20.

Polarimetric Compressed Sensing with Hollow, Self-Assembled Diffractive Films.

Sensing light's polarization and wavefront direction enables surface curvature assessment, material identification, shadow differentiation, and improved image quality in turbid environments. Traditional polarization cameras utilize multiple sensor measurements per pixel and polarization-filtering optics, which result in reduced image resolution. We propose a nanophotonic pipeline that enables compressive sensing and reduces the sampling requirements with a low-refractive-index, self-assembled optical encoder.

The Multifactorial Relationship Between Bone Tissue Water and Stiffness at the Proximal Femur.

Bone mechanical function is determined by multiple factors, some of which are still being elucidated. Here, we present a multivariate analysis of the role of bone tissue composition in the proximal femur stiffness of cadaver bones (n = 12, age 44-93). Stiffness was assessed by testing under loading conditions simulating a sideways fall onto the hip.

Coupling high-throughput and modeling approaches to streamline early-stage process development for biologics.

Platforms have long been implemented for downstream process development of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to streamline development and reduce timelines. These platforms are also increasingly being used for other complex biologics modalities. While development has traditionally been conducted at the lab bench scale in a sequential manner, automated miniaturized and parallelized approaches like RoboColumns and resin plates have also been implemented for chromatographic screening.

High-Modulus Homochiral Torsional Oxide Ceramic Artificial Muscles.

Fiber-based artificial muscles are soft actuators used to mimic the movement of human muscles. However, using high modulus oxide ceramics to fabricate artificial muscles with high energy and power is a challenge as they are prone to brittle fracture during torsion. Here, a ceramic metallization strategy is reported that solves the problem of low torsion and low ductility of alumina (AlO) ceramics by chemical plating a thin copper layer on alumina filaments.

Structural Determinants of School Discipline: Examining State-Level Racial Bias and Neighborhood Opportunity.

Objective: Addressing the disproportionate use of school detentions and suspensions among Black youth is crucial for reducing educational and health disparities across the lifespan. Yet, few studies have explored external factors beyond school or individual characteristics as potential contributors to school discipline disparities, such as state-level racial bias and neighborhood opportunity.

Method: A subsample from the larger Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study® was used (M age at baseline = 9.

Inorganic nitrogen and organic matter jointly regulate ectomycorrhizal fungi-mediated iron acquisition.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) play a crucial role in facilitating plant nutrient uptake from the soil although inorganic nitrogen (N) can potentially diminish this role. However, the effect of inorganic N availability and organic matter on shaping EMF-mediated plant iron (Fe) uptake remains unclear. To explore this, we performed a microcosm study on Pinus taeda roots inoculated with Suillus cothurnatus treated with +/-Fe-coated sand, +/-organic matter, and a gradient of NHNO concentrations.

Comparative metagenomics of tropical reef fishes show conserved core gut functions across hosts and diets with diet-related functional gene enrichments.

Unlabelled: Fish gut microbial communities are important for the breakdown and energy harvesting of the host diet. Microbes within the fish gut are selected by environmental and evolutionary factors. To understand how fish gut microbial communities are shaped by diet, three tropical fish species (hawkfish, ; yellow tang, ; and triggerfish, ) were fed piscivorous (fish meal pellets), herbivorous (seaweed), and invertivorous (shrimp) diets, respectively.

The Role of Host-Range Expansion and Co-Speciation in Host-Parasite Associations With the Divergence of the Great Tit Species Complex.

During the evolution of parasites, co-speciation and host-range expansion are thought to play roles in establishing associations with hosts, while sorting events can lead to dissolution of those associations. To address the roles of these processes, we focus on avian haemosporidian parasites infecting hosts of the intensively studied great tit species complex. We estimated the phylogeography of lineages detected in the species complex, and quantified their transition probabilities among hosts.

Regional Patellar Tendon Strain in the Short- and Long-term After ACL Reconstruction Using Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Autograft.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) often involves harvesting a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft. How graft harvest affects tendon strain across the 3 distinct regions (medial, lateral, and central) is not known.

Purpose: To (1) quantify strain in the 3 regions of the patellar tendon during 60% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in 90° of knee flexion and (2) assess how effort level in 2 different knee joint angles (60° and 90°) impacts strain in the medial and lateral regions of the patellar tendon, in 2 cohorts of patients after ACLR using a BPTB autograft (one group <24 months after surgery and another group ≥24 months after surgery).

Interracial contact shapes racial bias in the learning of person-knowledge.

During impression formation, perceptual cues facilitate social categorization while person-knowledge can promote individuation and enhance person memory. Although there is extensive literature on the cross-race recognition deficit, observed when racial ingroup faces are recognized more than outgroup faces, it is unclear whether a similar deficit exists when recalling individuating information about outgroup members. To better understand how perceived race can bias person memory, the present study examined how self-identified White perceivers' interracial contact impacts learning of perceptual cues and person-knowledge about perceived Black and White others over five sessions of training.

Free vibration and buckling analysis of axially functionally graded tapered Timoshenko beams using B-spline-based isogeometric analysis.

This study considers Timoshenko beam theory and the isogeometric analysis method to investigate the free vibration and buckling of axially functionally graded (AFG) tapered beams. The governing equations are obtained from the kinematic assumptions of Timoshenko beam theory and Hamilton's principle. The isogeometric analysis approach is implemented to solve the motion equations.

A Flexible Hybrid Site-Specific Integration-Based Expression System in CHO Cells for Higher-Throughput Evaluation of Monoclonal Antibody Expression Cassettes.

The implementation of site-specific integration (SSI) systems in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells for the production of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can alleviate concerns associated with production instability and reduce cell line development timelines. SSI cell line performance is driven by the interaction between genomic integration location, clonal background, and the transgene expression cassette, requiring optimization of all three parameters to maximize productivity. Systematic comparison of these parameters has been hindered by SSI platforms involving low-throughput enrichment strategies, such as cell sorting.

Trust in scientists and their role in society across 68 countries.

Science is crucial for evidence-based decision-making. Public trust in scientists can help decision makers act on the basis of the best available evidence, especially during crises. However, in recent years the epistemic authority of science has been challenged, causing concerns about low public trust in scientists.

Perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries - the TISP dataset.

Science is integral to society because it can inform individual, government, corporate, and civil society decision-making on issues such as public health, new technologies or climate change. Yet, public distrust and populist sentiment challenge the relationship between science and society. To help researchers analyse the science-society nexus across different geographical and cultural contexts, we undertook a cross-sectional population survey resulting in a dataset of 71,922 participants in 68 countries.

The magneto-mechanical coupling of multiphase magnetorheological elastomers.

Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) are soft magnetic composites that achieve tunable changes in stiffness and energy response in the presence of a magnetic field. Rigid particle composite (RC) MREs have been studied for decades for their potential applications to automotive dampers and robotic systems. Recently, magnetic fluid composite (FC) MREs have been developed which utilize magnetic fluids as inclusions to elastomers.

Neuroimaging Findings for the Overnight Consolidation of Learned Non-native Speech Sounds.

Research over the past two decades has documented the importance of sleep to language learning. Sleep has been suggested to play a role in establishing new speech representations as well; however, the neural mechanisms corresponding to sleep-mediated effects on speech perception behavior are unknown. In this study, we trained monolingual English-speaking adults to perceive differences between the Hindi dental vs.