Manipulation Of Behavior Research Articles

Revolutionizing medicine: Recent developments and future prospects in stem-cell therapy.

Stem-cell therapy is a revolutionary frontier in modern medicine, offering enormous capacity to transform the treatment landscape of numerous debilitating illnesses and injuries. This review examines the revolutionary frontier of treatments utilizing stem cells, highlighting the distinctive abilities of stem cells to undergo regeneration and specialized cell differentiation into a wide variety of phenotypes. This paper aims to guide researchers, physicians, and stakeholders through the intricate terrain of stem-cell therapy, examining the processes, applications, and challenges inherent in utilizing stem cells across diverse medical disciplines. The historical journey from foundational contributions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to recent breakthroughs, including ESC isolation and iPSC discovery, has set the stage for monumental leaps in medical science. Stem cells' regenerative potential spans embryonic, adult, induced pluripotent, and perinatal stages, offering unprecedented therapeutic opportunities in cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular ailments, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, and tissue damage. However, difficulties, such as immunological rejection, tumorigenesis, and precise manipulation of stem-cell behavior, necessitate comprehensive exploration and innovative solutions. This manuscript summarizes recent biotechnological advancements, critical trial evaluations, and emerging technologies, providing a nuanced understanding of the triumphs, difficulties, and future trajectories in stem cell-based regenerative medicine. Future directions, including precision medicine integration, immune modulation strategies, advancements in gene-editing technologies, and bioengineering synergy, offer a roadmap in stem cell treatment. The focus on stem-cell therapy's potential highlights its significant influence on contemporary medicine and points to a future in which individualized regenerative therapies will alleviate various medical disorders.

Requirements for the Concept of the Implementation of Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Preventing Corruption in the Public Sector

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have enormous potential for preventing corruption in the public sector. However, at present, the use of AI in the public sector is not regulated. Consequently, the article aims to propose concrete steps and actions for the implementation of AI technology in the public sector with a view to using this technology as a new tool to identify and prevent situations of corruption. The author conducted a study of Latvian state and local government officials in different regions and positions throughout 2023. In the article, the author analyses the research data on officials’ experiences with AI, their expectations about the effectiveness of AI in preventing corruption, as well as their basic requirements for the concept of implementation of AI. The author of the article proposes to create a basis for the legal environment for the use of AI and recommends adopting the guidelines of AI on the following basic ethical standards: the priority of human well-being; prohibition of harm at the initiative of the AI system; human control; compliance of design with law; prevention of covert manipulation of human behaviour; built-in security. In the article, the author recommends creating a special procedure for testing and further implementation of solutions of AI, bypassing redundant administrative procedures. In addition, the author recommends stimulating anti-corruption institutions and developing approaches to issues of civil liability for mistakes made by AI technology.

Wideband ratiometric measurement of tonic and phasic dopamine release in the striatum.

Reward learning, cognition, and motivation are supported by changes in neurotransmitter levels across multiple timescales. Current measurement technologies for various neuromodulators (such as dopamine and serotonin) do not bridge timescales of fluctuations, limiting the ability to define the behavioral significance, regulation, and relationship between fast (phasic) and slow (tonic) dynamics. To help resolve longstanding debates about the behavioral significance of dopamine across timescales, we developed a novel quantification strategy, augmenting extensively used carbon-fiber Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry (FSCV). We iteratively engineered the FSCV scan sequence to rapidly modify electrode sensitivity within a sampling window and applied ratiometric analysis for wideband dopamine measurement. This allowed us to selectively eliminate artifacts unrelated to electrochemical detection (i.e., baseline drift), overcoming previous limitations that precluded wideband dopamine detection from milliseconds to hours. We extensively characterize this approach in vitro , validate performance in vivo with simultaneous microdialysis, and deploy this technique to measure wideband dopamine changes across striatal regions under pharmacological, optogenetic, and behavioral manipulations. We demonstrate that our approach can extend to additional analytes, including serotonin and pH, providing a robust platform to assess the contributions of multi-timescale neuromodulator fluctuations to cognition, learning, and motivation.

Manipulation of microstructure evolution and deformation behavior in Ni–Mn–Ga shape memory alloys with varied Ni/Ga under uniaxial cyclic compression

Manipulation of microstructure evolution and deformation behavior in Ni–Mn–Ga shape memory alloys with varied Ni/Ga under uniaxial cyclic compression

Why aphid virus retention needs more attention: Modelling aphid behaviour and virus manipulation in non-persistent plant virus transmission.

Plant viruses threaten food security and are often transmitted by insect vectors. Non-persistently transmitted (NPT) plant viruses are transmitted almost exclusively by aphids. Because virions attach to the aphid's stylet (mouthparts) and are acquired and inoculated via brief epidermal probes, the aphid-virus interaction is highly transient, with a very short aphid virus retention time. Many NPT viruses manipulate their host plant's phenotype to change aphid behaviour to optimise virus transmission. Epidemiological models of this have overlooked a key feature of aphid NPT virus retention: probing or feeding on a plant causes aphids to lose the virus. Furthermore, experimental studies suggest aphids could possibly inoculate multiple healthy plants within one infective period if they do not feed. Consequences of this for virus manipulation of host plant phenotype have not been explored. Our new compartmental epidemiological model includes both behaviour-based aphid dispersal and infectivity loss rates, and the ability of infective aphids to probe multiple plants before virus loss. We use our model to explore how NPT virus-induced host phenotypes affect epidemic outcomes, comparing these results to representative previous models. We find that previous models behave fundamentally differently and underestimate the benefit of an 'attract-and-deter' phenotype, where the virus induces increased aphid attraction to infected plants but deters them from prolonged feeding. Our results also highlight the importance of characterising NPT virus retention upon the aphid during probing. Allowing for multiple infective probes increases disease incidence and the effectiveness of virus manipulation, with implications for epidemic prediction and control.

Assessing the stability of responding of male mice in the touchscreen 5 choice serial reaction time task: Focus on premature responding.

The five-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT) is a test of attention that provides a well-validated ancillary measure of impulsive action, measured by premature responses. The task has been adapted for mice in touchscreen operant boxes, which is thought to offer improved test-retest reliability. Few studies have assessed the long-term stability of performance, including premature responding in this version of the task. We used the touchscreen 5CSRTT to conduct longitudinal testing of stability of premature responding following repeated behavioral and pharmacological manipulations. Male C57BL/6J mice were trained on a baseline version of the 5CSRTT. They were then tested on versions of the task in which the stimulus duration was reduced, and inter-trial intervals were elongated or varied within-session. Premature responding was subsequently tested following administration of pharmacological agents known to bi-directionally affect attention and impulsive action-cocaine, atomoxetine, and yohimbine. Mice were lastly re-tested 6 months later using the 5CSRTT with elongated inter-trial intervals. A reduced stimulus duration impacted attention, with reduced accuracy and increased omissions, but had no effect on premature responding. Both elongating and varying the inter-trial interval within-session increased premature responses. Mice showed similar and stable levels of increased premature responding 6 months later. Cocaine increased premature responding, though less than previously reported in rats. Atomoxetine reduced premature responding. Yohimbine had no effect on premature responding in the baseline task but decreased premature responding when tested using an elongated inter-trial interval. Overall, these results highlight that the touch screen adaptation of the 5CSRTT is an effective method for longitudinal testing of attention and impulsive action and remains sensitive to performance changes arising from repeated pharmacological and behavioral challenges.

2D Reconfigurable Memtransistor for High‐Performance Dual‐Mode Memory and Broadband Photodetection

AbstractDeveloping multifunctional nanoelectronics will facilitate simplifying the circuits for future high‐integrated system. CuInP2S6 (CIPS) exhibiting ferroionic phenomena allows the manipulation of polarization and conductive behaviors. Here, a MoS2 transistor is fabricated with CIPS gate dielectric layer to realize the functions of nonvolatile memory, broadband photodetector and voltage comparator. It exhibited convex‐shaped anti‐ambipolar transfer characteristics, with a sharp boundary as the n‐/p‐type conductance conversion line, guiding the precise modulation of its working modes by tuning voltage. The CIPS works as a ferroelectric insulator to support the n‐type transistor, while as a semiconductor dominated by Cu+ migration to reconfigure a p‐type memristive transistor. It owns hysteresis behavior in both modes, demonstrating the n‐ and p‐type memory windows synchronously. Also, it exhibits the nonvolatile memory property with low energy‐consumption of 4 pJ per bite, good endurance of 2567 write‐erase cycles, and good retention with a high current on/off ratio of 2 × 103 over 104 s without any obvious decay. Moreover, it extends the photodetection from visible to near‐infrared with the responsivity of 321 AW−1 at 1200 nm wavelength. This work provides an effective strategy for the realization of multiple functions by specific materials and devices.

Genetically Encoded Microtubule Binders for Single-Cell Interrogation of Cytoskeleton Dynamics and Protein Activity.

Microtubule (MT) dynamics is tightly regulated by microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) and various post-translational modifications (PTMs) of tubulin. Here, we introduce OligoMT and OligoTIP as genetically encoded oligomeric MT binders designed for real-time visualization and manipulation of MT behaviors within living cells. OligoMT acts as a reliable marker to label the MT cytoskeleton, while OligoTIP allows for live monitoring of the growing MT plus-ends. These engineered MT binders have been successfully utilized to label the MT network, monitor cell division, track MT plus-ends, and assess the effect of tubulin acetylation on the MT stability at the single-cell level. Moreover, OligoMT and OligoTIP can be repurposed as biosensors for quantitative assessment of drug actions and for reporting enzymatic activity. Overall, these engineered MT binders hold promise for advancing the mechanistic dissection of MT biology and have translational applications in cell-based high-throughput drug discovery efforts.

Nuts and bolts of the behavioural manipulation by Toxoplasma gondii.

In this review, I take the first-person perspective of a neuroscientist interested in Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908). I reflect on the value of behavioural manipulation as a perturbation tool to understand the organisation of behaviour within the brain. Toxoplasma gondii infection reduces the aversion of rats to the olfactory cues of cat presence. This change in behaviour is one of the often-discussed exemplars of host-parasite coevolution, culminating in the manipulation of the host behaviour for the benefit of the parasite. Such coevolution also means that we can use host-parasite systems as tools to derive fundamental insights about the host brain itself.

Mechanisms Underlying Ophiocordyceps Infection and Behavioral Manipulation of Ants: Unique or Ubiquitous?

Parasite manipulation of host behavior, as an effective strategy to establish transmission, has evolved multiple times across taxa, including fungi. Major strides have been made to propose molecular mechanisms that underlie manipulative parasite-host interactions including the manipulation of carpenter ant behavior by Ophiocordyceps. This research suggests that the secretion of parasite proteins and light-driven biological rhythms are likely involved in the infection and manipulation biology of Ophiocordyceps and other manipulating parasites. Here, we discuss research on Ophiocordyceps considering findings from other (fungal) parasites that either are relatively closely related (e.g., other insect- and plant-infecting Hypocreales) or also manipulate insect behavior (e.g., Entomophthorales). As such, this review aims to put forward this question: Are the mechanisms behind Ophiocordyceps manipulation and infection unique, or did they convergently evolve? From this discussion, we pose functional hypotheses about the infection biology of Ophiocordyceps that will need to be addressed in future studies.

ROLE OF NEUROMARKETING IN UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: A LITERATURE OVERVIEW

Neuromarketing has been widely used to measure consumer behavior through several stimulation, including logo colors of a brand. Neuromarketing is applied using electroencephalography (EEG) signal analysis to the human brain's respons. This article explores the emerging field of neuromarketing and its potential impact on consumer buying behaviour. Neuromarketing combines neuroscience, psychology, and marketing to better understand consumer decision-making processes. The article discusses the various techniques used in neuromarketing research, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and eye-tracking, and the insights they provide into the subconscious factors that influence consumer behaviour. The article also discusses the ethical concerns surrounding neuromarketing, particularly regarding the manipulation of consumer behaviour. Overall, the article suggests that neuromarketing has the potential to revolutionize the way marketers understand and influence consumer behaviour. Neuromarketing has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses understand and engage with consumers. By providing insights into the emotional and psychological factors that influence purchasing decisions, businesses can create more effective marketing campaigns that resonate with consumers on a deeper level. However, it is essential to balance these benefits with ethical considerations and ensure that consumers' privacy is protected.

Manipulation of structural heterogeneity and deformation behavior in Ni-Nb-(Y, Gd) phase separating metallic glasses

Herein, we systematically explored how to tailor heterogeneity in the Ni-Nb-(Y, Gd) phase-separated metallic glasses (PSMGs) by carefully constructing a metastable miscibility gap and investigating its effect on the formation of heterogeneous shear band (SB) nucleation sites. The Ni60Nb40-x(Y, Gd)x PSMGs with either Nb-Y or Nb-Gd atomic pair (ΔHmix=+30 kJ/mol) showed hierarchically phase-separated microstructures at the nanoscale, which can be interpreted based on a metastable miscibility gap. Interestingly, statistical analysis of the initiation of plastic deformation via nanoindentation first pop-in analysis in these PSMGs reveals a unique trimodal distribution, unlike the bimodal distribution in monolithic MGs. This tendency arises from the formation of nanoscale phase boundaries as additional differentiated heterogeneous SB nucleation sites. The homogenously dispersed SB nucleation sites help hinder strain localization and SB propagation. In particular, a PSMG with a nanoscale interconnected structure exhibits homogeneous-like plastic deformation, where neither obvious pop-ins nor distinct surface shear steps are observed in the (nano-)indentation test. We believe this study's results provide an effective guideline for tuning correlative heterogeneity and related mechanical responses in PSMGs, highlighting the importance of tailoring microstructure even in MGs.

Entomophthovirus: an insect-derived iflavirus that infects a behavior-manipulating fungal pathogen of dipterans.

We report a virus infecting Entomophthora muscae, a behavior-manipulating fungal pathogen of dipterans. The virus, which we name Berkeley Entomophthovirus, is a positive-strand RNA virus in the iflaviridae family of capsid-forming viruses, which are mostly known to infect insects. The viral RNA is expressed at high levels in fungal cells in vitro and during in vivo infections of Drosophila melanogaster, and virus particles can be seen intracellularly in E. muscae. This virus, of which we find two closely related variants in our culture of E. muscae, is also closely related to three different viruses reported from metagenomic surveys, two of which were isolated from wild dipterans, and a third isolated from wild ticks. By analyzing sequencing data from these earlier reports, we find abundant reads aligning to E. muscae specifically in the samples from which viral reads were sequenced. These data establish a wide and perhaps obligate association with E. muscae in the wild, consistent with our laboratory data that E. muscae is the host for these closely related viruses. Because of this, we propose the name Entomophthovirus (EV) for this group of highly related virus variants. As other members of the iflaviridae have been reported to cause behavioral changes in insects, we speculate on the possibility that EV plays a role in the behavioral manipulation of flies infected with E. muscae.

DIGITAL TERRORISM: The Emerging Threat of Behavioral Manipulation in the Digital Age

Digital terrorism represents a growing threat in the digital age, focusing on the manipulation of human behavior rather than technical disruptions. Unlike cyberterrorism, digital terrorism leverages misinformation, disinformation, emotional manipulation, and targeted propaganda to destabilize societies, polarize communities, and incite conflict. This paper examines the mechanisms of digital terrorism, including social media profiling and social engineering, and discusses strategies for protection at the individual, institutional, and state levels. Through scholarly expertise, this paper highlights the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to mitigate the effects of digital terrorism on global stability.

Tailoring macrostructure and texture in bobbin-tool friction stir weld via manipulation of deformation behaviour of plasticised metal during welding enabled by modifying tool profile

Bobbin-tool friction stir welding is a variant of friction stir welding with high process flexibility that has garnered considerable attention from the community. The reliability of the weld is sensitive to the macrostructure and texture of the stir zone, which must be carefully tailored. The macrostructure of the stir zone is governed by the refill behaviour of the plasticised metal associated with the bobbin-tool; refill occurs preferentially near the upper and lower shoulders, creating a triangular gap at the mid-thickness level that is subsequently closed by the confluence of the layered refilling plasticised metal from the upper and lower levels. Volumetric defects easily develop in this triangular confluence region because the symmetrical confluence of the layered refilling metal has the inherent characteristic of limited intermixing. The visual appearance of the triangular region, featuring limited voiding, was improved by tapering the stirring probe. This modification reduced the volume of displaced metal, leaving a smaller gap to be refilled during welding. Concurrently, the symmetrical confluence pattern was altered to an asymmetrical pattern, which enhanced the intermixing of the layered refilling metal from the upper and lower levels and promoted gap closure. For defect-free welds, macroscopic deformation inhomogeneity under tensile loading was observed due to the presence of a strong basal texture in the stir zone. The texture was scattered by disrupting the regular shear deformation pattern in the stir zone, which was achieved by modifying the tool profile. The activation capability of both basal slip and extension twinning among various local regions across the stir zone was substantially reduced through texture tailoring, resulting in more homogeneous tensile deformation. Consequently, elongation was enhanced by 66 %. This study highlights an easy-to-perform and generic strategy that can improve the quality of bobbin-tool friction stir welds.

Bioinspired structural color striped pattern from scalable assembly

Surface patterns are widespread in many organisms, providing the abilities of camouflage, recognition, sexual selection, and survival in creatures. Inspired by these features, structural color stripes over large and complex surfaces were presented based on a meniscus rapidly receding assembly process triggered by lowered pressure and heat. The pattern method allows building blocks to rapidly self-organize into structural color stripes with adjustable morphology and color within several minutes on 2D or complex 3D surfaces. We demonstrate that the structural color striped pattern can be used in anti-counterfeiting, mimicking structural color organisms, and manipulation of stem cell behaviors at multiple levels. This lowered pressure and heat triggered pattern method for engineering scalable structural color stripes provides a powerful tool which cannot be achieved by conventional methods and will promote the wide application of structural color pattern in sensing, artificial robots, anti-counterfeiting, and so on.

Manipulation of the α-phase precipitation behavior through dual-aging treatment and its correlation with mechanical properties in a metastable β titanium alloy

The precipitation behavior of α-phase and its crucial impact on the mechanical properties have been investigated in a metastable β-type Ti-4Al-6V-5Mo-3Cr-1Zr (wt%, Ti-46531) alloy. Through dedicated design of dual-step aging conditions, the nucleation mechanism, number density and morphology of the secondary α-phase precipitates can be modulated. After the first-step aging treatment at 300 °C for 5−100 h, isothermal ω-phase (ωiso) particles precipitate and are uniformly dispersed in the β-phase matrix, with their number density gradually increasing with aging time. The subsequent second-step aging treatment at 600 °C for 2 h leads to the rapid dissolution of ωiso and the precipitation of α-phase through the classical nucleation process with a steady number density. Lowering the second-step aging temperature to 520 °C promotes the heterogeneous nucleation of the α-phase with the assistance of uniformly dispersed ωiso particles. This leads to a significant increase in the number density of α-phase precipitates. Consequently, the maximum yield strength increases from 1296 MPa for samples aged at 600 °C to 1623 MPa for samples aged at 520 °C. The precipitation of α-phase serves a dual role in enhancing the yield strength, both by providing precipitation strengthening and by increasing dislocation density. The contribution to yield strength enhancement from the former effect is considerably more substantial than the latter. This work underscores the crucial role of α-phase number density in determining the strength of metastable β titanium alloys, offering new insights into the tailoring of microstructures and mechanical properties through dual-aging treatments.

Neurotransmitter acetylcholine mediates the mummification of Ophiocordyceps sinensis-infected Thitarodes xiaojinensis larvae.

Parasites can manipulate host behavior to facilitate parasite transmission. One such host-pathogen interaction occurs between the fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis and the ghost moth Thitarodes xiaojinensis. O. sinensis is involved in the mummification process of infected host larvae. However, the underlying molecular and chemical mechanism for this phenomenon is unknown. We characterized the small molecules regulating host behaviors and the altered metabolites in infected and mummified host larvae. Lipid-related metabolites, such as phosphatidylcholine, were identified in infected and mummified larvae. Decreased levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) and elevated choline levels were observed in the brains of both the infected and mummified larvae. The aberrant activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and relative mRNA expression of ACE2 (acetylcholinesterase) may mediate the altered transformation between ACh and choline, leading to the brain dysfunction of mummified larvae. Caspofungin treatment inhibited the mummification of infected larvae and the activity of AChE. These findings indicate the importance of ACh in the mummification of host larvae after O. sinensis infection.IMPORTANCEOphiocordyceps sinensis-infected ghost moth larvae are manipulated to move to the soil surface with their heads up in death. A fruiting body then grows from the caterpillar's head, eventually producing conidia for dispersal. However, the underlying molecular and chemical mechanism has not been characterized. In this study, we describe the metabolic profile of Thitarodes xiaojinensis host larvae after O. sinensis infection. Altered metabolites, particularly lipid-related metabolites, were identified in infected and mummified larvae, suggesting that lipids are important in O. sinensis-mediated behavioral manipulation of host larvae. Decreased levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine were observed in both infected and mummified larvae brains. This suggests that altered or reduced acetylcholine can mediate brain dysfunction and lead to aberrant behavior. These results reveal the critical role of acetylcholine in the mummification process of infected host larvae.

A Comprehensive Review on Entomovectoring in Agroecosystem

Protecting beneficial arthropods is essential, as they provide crucial services beyond pollination, including disease and insect pest management. The combination of several ecosystem services for agricultural sustainability requires the recognition that biodiversity is coupled with bio-complexity, productivity, resilience, and ecosystem functionality. Insects such as bumblebees, mason bees, and honey bees have long been employed professionally for pollination, likewise microbial biocontrol agents are frequently employed in pest management. A key aspect of pollination ecology is entomovectoring technology that utilizes managed bees to disseminate biocontrol agents to flowering crops. This can enhance crop yields by providing non-chemical protection against pests and diseases as well as enhancing pollination efficiency. This technology is based on bee management, manipulation of bee behaviour, components of cropping system, plant-pathogen-vector-antagonist system which can be a trend-breaking pest management system in agriculture and will give double benefit to agriculture i.e. crop pollination and crop protection acting together for increased crop yield and quality.

Brain Stimulation of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortices Influences Impulsivity in Delay Discounting Choices.

Intertemporal decision-making is pivotal for human interests and health. Recently, studies instructed participants to make intertemporal choices for both themselves and others, but the specific mechanisms are still debated. To address the issue, in the current study, the cost-unneeded conditions (i.e., "Self Immediately - Self Delay" and "Other Immediately - Other Delay" conditions) and the cost-needed conditions (i.e., "Self Immediately - Other Delay" and "Self Delay - Other Immediately" conditions) were set with the identity of OTHER being a stranger. We manipulated the magnitude of reward (Experiment 1) and disrupted the activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS; Experiment 2). We found that both the behavioral and rTMS manipulations increased smaller but sooner choice probability via reducing self-control function. The reduced self-control function elicited by rTMS affected both self- and other-related intertemporal choices via increasing the choice preference for smaller but sooner reward options, which may help people deeply understand the relationship between self- and other-related intertemporal choices in processing mechanism, especially when the OTHER condition is set as a stranger.