Behavioral Indicators Research Articles

Capturing changes in social functioning and positive affect using ecological momentary assessment during a 12-month trial of xanomeline and trospium chloride in schizophrenia.

Experiential negative symptoms (NS) are determinants of disability in schizophrenia (SCZ). Xanomeline/Trospium Chloride (X/T), an M1/M4 muscarinic receptor agonist, is an approved monotherapy for treatment of schizophrenia, including NS. We used remote ecological momentary assessments (EMA) to track changes in indicators of NS during 12months of outpatient treatment with X/T. After discontinuing previous medications, 566 outpatients with SCZ received open-label X/T monotherapy for up to 12months. Participants completed 3 EMA surveys 7days a week, one week a month. Surveys queried whether participants were home vs. away and alone vs with someone, as well as productive and unproductive activities, and moods. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) examined temporal changes and the relationships between the indicators of NS. 500 participants answered one or more EMA surveys and 350 met 33% adherence criteria, answering a total of 40,464 surveys, with overall adherence among these participants at 66%. During treatment with X/T, there were significant decreases in surveys at home (p<.001), alone (p<.001), and engaging in unproductive activities (p<.001). There were significant increases in productive activities both home (p<.001) and away (p<.001) and in positive affect (PA) (p<.001). Improvements in PA converged with reduced unproductive activities, particularly when others were present (p<.001). Behavioral indicators of NS improved early and were sustained with X/T treatment. Improvements were multidimensional, shifting toward more time with others, away from home, and engaged in productive activities. These improvements were associated with increases in PA, consistent with previous EMA studies of NS.

A Qualitatively-Informed Approach to Examining the Construct Validity of Alcohol-Involved Sexual Violence

Abstract One in five women experience sexual victimization in her lifetime, making sexual victimization a significant public health crisis. This public health crisis also has detrimental health consequences. Understanding the scope of sexual violence and the effects of prevention programming requires accuracy in measuring sexual violence. Yet, a wealth of research suggests lack of precision in sexual violence measurement and potential confusion among respondents in how to interpret items on sexual victimization and perpetration questionnaires. Specifically, alcohol-involved sexual violence questions are among the hardest to operationalize in such questionnaires, due, in part to cultural ideas about alcohol and idiosyncratic effects of alcohol on behavior. The current study addressed this gap by assessing the construct validity of alcohol-involved sexual violence questionnaire items. We used a cognitive-interviewing qualitative approach to analyze interviews with forty participants to better understand the cognitive and interpretive language nuances between “took advantage of while drunk” and being “too drunk to consent.” Qualitative thematic analysis was conducted to identify and summarize differences in how stimuli were perceived and interpreted. Our thematic analysis identified three themes: (a) respondents used behavioral indicators as an indicator of impaired decision-making, (b) respondents perceived and expressed complexity in understanding alcohol-related consent, and (c) some respondents attributed the differences between the phrases to reflect experiences of either perpetration and victimization. The results underscore the importance of refining questionnaires using behavioral indicators of alcohol intoxication to differentiate between incapacitated and impaired alcohol-involved incidents, clarifying non-consent language, and being purposeful in describing a state or an action related to the consumption of alcohol, to better measure alcohol-involved sexual violence.

Effects of administering local anesthesia immediately before surgical castration on indicators of pain and discomfort of beef calves

Abstract Forty Hereford cross calves (mean and SD of 47.9 ± 10.43 d old) were used to assess the efficacy of lidocaine administered immediately before surgical castration on physiological and behavioral indicators of pain and discomfort. Calves were assigned by age to one of two treatments: surgical castration following subcutaneous injection of 2.5 mL/100 kg body weight of meloxicam (Metacam 20 mg/mL, Boehringer Ingelhein, Burlington, ON, Canada) per kg body weight (MEX, n=19); or the same treatment preceded 90 s before by a nerve block of the spermatic cord using 8 mL of buffered (1 mL:10 mL of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate USP, Hospira Inc., Lake Forest, IL, USA) lidocaine (4 mL per cord; 20 mg/mL, LIDO-2 with epinephrine, Rafter Products, Calgary, AB, Canada) (LID, n=21). During the castration procedure, two observers scored how much pain each animal was experiencing (visual analog score, VAS), number of body shakes and leg kicks for each calf. Blood samples and exit scores were collected the day of castration and on d 7, and 14 to assess the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (N:L) and calf temperament, respectively. Hair samples were collected the day of castration and on d 14 to determine cortisol levels. Scrotal circumference, swelling, and healing scores were determined on d 7 and 14 to assess healing. An accelerometer (HOBO Pendant® G Data Logger, Onset, Cape Cod, MA) was placed on the left hind leg to measure lying behavior until d 6 after castration. Calves were video recorded for one hour after the castration procedure to observe behaviors indicative of pain and discomfort. Surveillance cameras were also used to assess the mobility of the calves when cow-calf pairs were moved from the holding pen to the pasture. The VAS, number of tail flicks and foot stamps were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) in MEX than in LID calves. During the first hour after castration, LID calves spent more time lying (P = 0.03) and less time standing (P = 0.01) than MEX calves. When moved from the holding pen, LID calves moved faster (P &amp;lt; 0.01) and closer to their dams (P &amp;lt; 0.05) than MEX calves. Hair cortisol was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in LID than MEX calves on d 14. Results suggest that using lidocaine for local anesthesia immediately before surgical castration reduced behaviors indicative of pain and improved mobility post-castration.

Effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on motor planning: a multimodal signal study.

Motor planning plays a pivotal role in daily life. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been demonstrated to enhance decision-making efficiency, illustrating its potential use in cognitive modulation. However, current research primarily focuses on behavioral and single-modal electrophysiological signal, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG). To investigate the effect of taVNS on motor planning, a total of 21 subjects were recruited for this study and were divided into two groups: active group (n = 10) and sham group (n = 11). Each subject was required to be involved in a single-blind, sham-controlled, between-subject end-state comfort (ESC) experiment. The study compared behavioral indicators and electrophysiological features before and following taVNS. The results indicated a notable reduction in reaction time and an appreciable increase in the proportion of end-state comfort among the participants following taVNS, accompanied by notable alterations in motor-related cortical potential (MRCP) amplitude, low-frequency power of HRV (LF), and cortico-cardiac coherence, particularly in the parietal and occipital regions. These findings show that taVNS may impact the brain and heart, potentially enhancing their interaction, and improve participants' ability of motor planning.

Longitudinal Analysis of the Transition Between Multimorbidity and Mortality Patterns from a Syndemic Perspective.

Longitudinal analysis of multimorbidity (MM) from a holistic approach to the aging population is necessary to guide medical care. To estimate the probability of transition between different MM patterns and the "death" stage and to characterize the socioeconomic, health, behavioral, and functional dimensions of MM patterns from a syndemic perspective. A cohort of 7,120 people ≥50 from the Mexican Health and Aging Study and mortality data at 11 and 17 years of follow-up were analyzed using the latent class approach. MM was defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic diseases (CDs). Socioeconomic, health, behavioral, and functional indicators were registered. Descriptive analysis, latent class analysis, and Markov chain models were carried out. The model included three latent classes: "healthy" (low probability of CD); "multi-organic" (high probability of hypertension, arthritis, diabetes mellitus, lung disease, and myocardial infarction); and "sensitive-emotional, mental, neurological" (high probability of chronic pain, depression, and cognitive impairment). At the first follow-up, people in the "multi-organic" class were more likely to move on to death, and at the second follow-up, they were in the "sensitive-emotional, mental, neurological" class. In addition, the characteristic profiles of the indicators for each latent class were identified. The probabilities of transition between the three classes of MM and death, as well as the socioeconomic, behavioral, and functional dimensions in those over 50 years of age, revealed, from a syndemic perspective, the variability in the likelihood of progressing toward an unfavorable outcome.

Caregiver report of infant behavior associated with autism likelihood in first year of life.

Identification of prodromal indicators of autism in infancy has the potential to identify behaviors relevant to early autism screening. We report on data from a prospective general population birth cohort with maternal reported measures at 9 and 12 months: the Survey of Well-Being of Young Children (SWYC; general developmental surveillance) and the First Year Inventory-Lite v3.1b (FYI-Lite; autism specific parent report research tool). Mothers completed the surveys and the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ), a self-report measure of subclinical features of autism. In this sample of 332 infants (168 males), maternal-reported infant developmental milestones and behavioral indicators of difficult temperament, poor adaptability, and sleep problems at 9 months (SWYC) and maternal self-reported subclinical autism characteristics (BAPQ) were correlated with maternal-reported autism-related behaviors on the FYI-Lite at 12 months. Regression models revealed significant unique associations between infant temperament, developmental milestones, and FYI-Lite scores while controlling for significant effects of maternal BAPQ scores and education. Maternal report of infant temperament and developmental milestones at 9 months were associated with maternal-report early indicators of autism likelihood at 12 months in a general birth cohort. Follow up of this cohort is needed to determine associations with formal diagnostic outcomes. Identifying scalable measures of infant behaviors in general and specific to autism may help identify targets of intervention for infants in the first year of life. This study aims to contribute to improved first-year surveillance by assessing potential early autism indicators in a prospective general birth cohort, whereas other observational studies utilize enriched risk cohorts (e.g., infant siblings of autistic children). Preliminary findings of this cohort revealed that a maternal report of 9-month temperament significantly predicted higher scores on a maternal report 12-month autism screener and indicated the importance of considering maternal self-reported subclinical autism characteristics when interpreting parent report screeners.

Elliptic and Quadrangular Flow of Protons in the High-Baryon-Density Region

The collective flow provides valuable insights into the anisotropic expansion of particles produced in heavy-ion collisions and is sensitive to the equation of the state of nuclear matter in high-baryon-density regions. In this paper, we use the hadronic transport model SMASH to investigate the elliptic flow (v2), quadrangular flow (v4), and their ratio (v4/v22) in Au+Au collisions at high baryon density. Our results show that the inclusion of baryonic mean-field potential in the model successfully reproduces experimental data from the HADES experiment, indicating that baryonic interactions play an important role in shaping anisotropic flow. In addition to comparing the transverse momentum (pT), rapidity, and centrality dependence of v4/v22 between HADES data and model calculations, we also explore its time evolution and energy dependence across sNN= 2.4 to 4.5 GeV. While the ratio v4/v22 for high-pT particles approaches 0.5, which aligns with expectations from hydrodynamic behavior, we emphasize that this result primarily reflects agreement with the HADES measurements rather than a definitive indication of ideal fluid behavior. These findings contribute to understanding the early-stage dynamics in heavy-ion collisions at high baryon density.

Is “Rough Sex” a Thing? A Survey of Meaning

ABSTRACT The term “rough sex” is widely used, but it is not always clear what it means. Through exploring people’s working definitions of “rough sex,” we asked what they revealed about the underlying phenomenon it is applied to, and whether it is actually a thing. Our online survey of 567 New Zealand respondents (73.7% women, 21% men, 5.3% gender diverse; mean age, 35.6 years, SD = 10.8) identified various behaviors that many considered to be part of “rough sex” – including hair pulling, holding down someone forcefully, slapping and “choking.” While this behavioral profile was similar to previous U.S. studies, our survey was designed with novel features that allowed us to look more closely at the variation in how people make sense of “rough sex.” Embedded within a critical psychology approach, our descriptive analysis highlighted areas of ambiguity and difference, including points of contradiction across people’s working definitions. Critical qualitative analysis of open-ended textual data further examined categorical misalignments and the difficulties in interpreting behavioral indicators as defining of “rough sex” – especially without more contextual information. Overall, we found considerable variability and some contradictions in people’s definitions of “rough sex” and the meanings they ascribed to it. Our findings led us to argue that the term “rough sex” does not map onto a coherent phenomenon, and that use of the term can be misleading, with potentially problematic implications.

Age-Related Changes in Gut Health and Behavioral Biomarkers in a Beagle Dog Population.

The gut and the gut microbiome communicate with the nervous system through the gut-brain axis via neuroimmune and neuroendocrine mechanisms. Despite existing research, studies exploring this link in aging dogs are limited. This study aims to examine multiple blood and fecal biomarkers of intestinal health, along with various behavioral indicators based on saliva, blood, observations, and activity, in different age populations (junior: <2 y.o.; adult: 2-7 y.o.; senior: >7 y.o.) of thirty-seven Beagle dogs. In our study, Bacteroides were significantly higher in senior dogs. The relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Blautia showed age-related trends, higher in senior and junior dogs, respectively. Fecal short-chain fatty acid concentration, especially acetate, increased with age, while propionate was higher in junior dogs. For the behavioral indicators we considered, blood thyroxine concentration, playing, exploring, and total activity were higher in junior dogs. The differences observed between the biomarkers of gut health and behavior, particularly those significant for the age correlations, emphasize the importance of considering age-related factors when studying the gut microbiome and behavior. However, further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms and specific pathways involved in the relationship between the studied biomarkers and age.

Machine learning approach to student performance prediction of online learning.

Student performance is crucial for addressing learning process problems and is also an important factor in measuring learning outcomes. The ability to improve educational systems using data knowledge has driven the development of the field of educational data mining research. Here, this paper proposes a machine learning method for the prediction of student performance based on online learning. The critical thought is that eleven learning behavioral indicators are constructed according to online learning process, following that, through analyzing the correlation between the eleven learning behavioral indicators and the scores obtained by students online learning, we filter out those learning behavioral indicators that are weakly correlated with student scores, meanwhile, retain these learning behavior indicators being strongly correlated with student scores, which are used as the eigenvalue indicators. Finally, using the eigenvalue indicators to train the proposed logistic regress model with Taylor expansion. Experimental results show that the proposed logistic regress model defeats against the comparative models in prediction ability. Results also indicate that there is a significant dependency between students' initiative in learning and learning duration, nevertheless, learning duration has a significant effect on the prediction of student performance.

Real-Time Driver Drowsiness Detection System Using Machine Learning

Driver fatigue is a leading cause of road accidents globally, with significant fatalities and injuries reported annually. This paper presents a real-time Driver Drowsiness Detection System leveraging computer vision and machine learning techniques. Using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), the system monitors key behavioural indicators, such as eye closure and yawning frequency, from live video feeds. Preprocessing techniques like grayscale conversion and normalization ensure robustness under varied conditions. Alerts are triggered immediately upon detecting drowsiness, enhancing road safety. The system’s non-intrusive design ensures scalability and affordability, making it suitable for integration into Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). This paper also discusses challenges and potential enhancements, such as IoT integration and edge computing. Key Words: Driver Drowsiness Detection, Machine Learning, CNNs, Real-Time Monitoring, Road Safety.

The Impact of Acute Aerobic Exercise on General and Food-Related Inhibitory Function Among Young Adults with Obesity: An Event-Related Potential (ERP) Study.

Backgrounds and Objectives: Obesity presents a significant global public health challenge and is associated with declines in both general and food-related inhibitory control, crucial for maintaining a healthy weight and preventing obesity progression. An increasing body of research suggests that acute aerobic exercise may improve inhibitory function. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of acute aerobic exercise on both general and food-related inhibition in obese adults remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the potential impacts and underlying neuroelectronic mechanisms of a single session of aerobic exercise at varying intensities on general and food-related inhibitory functions among young adult males with obesity. Design: A within-subject design comprising three sessions (control, low-intensity exercise, moderate-intensity exercise) × three picture types (high-calorie food, low-calorie food, neutral picture) was employed. Methods: Eighteen young adult males with obesity [body mass index (BMI): 34.60 ± 4.21 kg/m2, aged 24.50 ± 5.13 years (Mean ± SD)] were recruited. They participated in three intervention sessions: acute aerobic exercise at low [40-50% maximal Heart Rate (HRmax)], moderate (65-70% HRmax), and a control session (sitting rest), separated by five-day intervals in a counterbalanced order. Following each session, participants performed a food-related Go/No-go task, and EEG recordings (N2 and P3 components) were conducted within 15 min. Results: Moderate-intensity exercise elicited larger N2 amplitudes compared to the control session across different picture types and task conditions. However, there was no significant effect on behavioral indicators or P3 amplitude across sessions. Additionally, food stimuli (both high- and low-calorie) resulted in lower No-go accuracy and smaller N2 amplitudes compared to neutral stimuli. Conclusions: Acute moderate-intensity exercise might influence general and food-related inhibitory function in obese individuals at the neuroelectric stage, potentially by enhancing attentional resources for managing cognitive control and conflict detection. Moreover, reduced N2 amplitudes and No-go accuracy in response to food stimuli compared to non-food stimuli indicate a diminished ability to allocate attentional and neural resources to manage food-related conflicts. However, due to the relatively small sample size, caution is advised when generalizing these findings to the broader population. The pilot test indicated that obese participants had difficulty sustaining high-intensity exercise at 80-90% of their maximum heart rate for a continuous or 20 min period, highlighting potential challenges in exercise adherence at high intensities within this population. Future research is needed to utilize interdisciplinary approaches and multimodal technologies to clarify how exercise influences food-related cognition, appetite regulation, and brain mechanisms in obesity, aiming to better contribute to the prevention and treatment of obesity.

Alcohol and emotion: Analyzing convergence between facially expressed and self-reported indices of emotion under alcohol intoxication.

Emotion measurement is central to capturing acute alcohol reinforcement and so to informing models of alcohol use disorder etiology. Yet our understanding of how alcohol impacts emotion as assessed across diverse response modalities remains incomplete. The present study leverages a social alcohol-administration paradigm to assess drinking-related emotions, aiming to elucidate impacts of intoxication on self-reported versus behaviorally expressed emotion. Participants (N = 60; Mage = 22.5; 50% male; 55% White) attended two counterbalanced laboratory sessions, on one of which they were administered an alcoholic beverage (target blood alcohol content .08%) and on the other a nonalcoholic control beverage. Participants in both conditions were accurately informed of beverage contents and consumed study beverages in assigned groups of three while their behavior was videotaped. Emotion was assessed via self-report as well as continuous coding of facial muscle movements. The relationship between self-reported and behaviorally expressed emotion diverged significantly across beverage conditions: positive affect: b = -0.174, t = -2.36, p = .022; negative affect, b = 0.4319, t = 2.37, p = .021. Specifically, self-reports and behavioral displays converged among sober but not intoxicated participants. Further, alcohol's effects on positive facial displays remained significant in models controlling for self-reported positive and negative emotion, with alcohol enhancing Duchenne smiles 20% beyond effects captured via self-reports, pointing to unique effects of alcohol on behavioral indicators of positive emotion. Findings highlight effects of acute intoxication on the convergence and divergence of emotion measures, thus informing our understanding of measures for capturing emotions that are most proximal to drinking and thus most immediately reinforcing of alcohol consumption. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Konsep Penyusunan Perencanaan Evaluasi Hasil Belajar

The first step that needs to be done in evaluation activities is to make a plan. This planning is important because it will affect the next steps, and even affect the effectiveness of the overall evaluation procedure. This study aims to discuss the planning that must be prepared in the evaluation of learning outcomes. The method used in this study is a library research approach, this data collection uses a method of searching from various sources such as journals and research that has been studied. The results of the study show that the steps that need to be taken in planning an evaluation of learning outcomes include (1) Formulating the objectives of the evaluation (2) Determining the aspects to be evaluated (3) Selecting and determining the techniques to be used in the evaluation (4) Preparing the evaluation tools to be used in the evaluation (5) Determining the evaluation benchmarks (6) Determining the frequency of evaluation activities (7) Presenting the test (8) Processing the test results (9) Reporting evaluation results, and (10) Use of evaluation results. Through this careful evaluation planning, it is possible to set behavioral objectives or indicators to be achieved, to prepare for the collection of data and information needed and to be able to use the right time.

Effects of the Stanford Chronic Conditions Model on Behavioral and Clinical Indicators in Saudi Arabia: A Prospective Quasi-Experimental Study.

This study aimed to evaluate the 6-month impact of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program based on the Stanford chronic condition model on behavioral and clinical indicators in individuals with chronic illnesses. This prospective, quasi-experimental study was conducted in primary healthcare centers located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 110 adults aged 18 years or older, living with at least one chronic disease, and receiving treatment at a primary healthcare center were included. We compared patients who received the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program with those who received the usual care from primary healthcare centers. Data analysis included analysis of descriptive and covariance statistics. The analysis of covariance indicated that individuals who received the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program had significantly lower systolic (F=5.60, p<0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (F=7.60, p<0.01). These patients were more likely to adopt healthy behaviors to manage their chronic illnesses (F=11.17, p<0.01). However, no significant differences were observed in the HbA1c values of the patients. We recommend incorporating the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program into patient education to foster peer support for effective chronic disease management.

Graduate student literature review: Integrating concepts of animal welfare and health-related quality of life for pre-weaned dairy calves.

Dairy calf welfare assessment tools focusing on the pre-weaning period have been proposed in recent research. Despite the existence of these tools, assessing the welfare and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of dairy calves remains challenging. These difficulties may stem from the complexity of assessing all dimensions of calf welfare and the validity, reliability, and feasibility of the indicators used in assessment tools. This review aims to discuss welfare and HRQoL concepts and integrate them into a framework to facilitate the understanding of dairy calf welfare and HRQoL. The review also identifies on-farm dairy calf welfare indicators and explores how their validity, reliability, and feasibility have been evaluated. HRQoL, as a component of the quality of life concept, is used to determine how an animal feels during illness using behavioral expressions of affective states. In this review, we adapted a human HRQoL framework for dairy calves, illustrating the interconnection of 3 domains of animal welfare (behavior, mental state and health) in assessing calves' HRQoL. It is worth noting that a limited number of HRQoL assessment tools have been developed for dairy calves, and there is no standard way to assess the welfare of pre-weaned dairy calves. Some studies focus on specific aspects of animal welfare, while others address this concept more broadly. While behavioral indicators have been explored in dairy science, they often remain disconnected from the concept of HRQoL. After reviewing various welfare assessment tools focusing on pre-weaned dairy calves, 44 welfare indicators were selected. Considering the selected welfare indicators, we observed that their validity, reliability, and feasibility have not been extensively explored. This review contributes to understanding welfare and HRQoL concepts for pre-weaned dairy calves and highlights opportunities to enhance the assessment of welfare and HRQoL for these animals.

Behavioural and physiological indicators of hoof trimming stress in restrained juvenile stable- and forest-born Konik Polski horses: a cross-sectional and longitudinal field study

Behavioural and physiological responses are suggested indicators of horse stress. The responses can vary according to changing intrinsic factors, for example, age or habituation to human handling and restraint.In this study, the same 53 Konik Polski horses that were born in either a forest-born (FB) sanctuary or a stable-born (SB) sanctuary were assessed for consistency in their behavioural and physiological responses over months, and the relationship between avoidance behaviour (withdrawals, head shakings, jerks, rearings, stepping and their total: AB), leaning behaviour and cardiac responses (heart rate: HR and heart rate variability HRV: SDRR and RMSSD during routine hoof trimming at 6, 12 and 18 months of age was examined. Additionally, the effect of age and birthplace on avoidance behaviour and cardiac parameters and their correlations was investigated.The avoidance behaviour, leaning behaviour and HR and HRV parameters differed between SB and FB horses (P < 0.01). A significant effect of increasing age/habituation was found in each birth-place group at each age (both effects P < 0.01). Additionally, the correlations of and between behaviour and cardiac parameters were fairly consistent both over age and within groups. The findings indicate that physiological and behavioural markers that are frequently used may not adequately represent the stress status of restrained horses; rather, they may only represent the animals' short-term, current state. Age and prior experience are significant factors to consider when evaluating stress related to husbandry management procedures. Providing that the differences between forest and stable horses remain until 18 months old, the rearing conditions up to weaning would seem sufficient to develop a specific human reception in young horses.

PACAP associated with precise PTSD and fear extinction response in women.

Behavioral, biological, and physiological reactions following posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are heterogeneous, particularly between sexes. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP38) is identified as a viable sex-specific marker of PTSD and fear conditioning impairments in women. However, no studies have examined the association between PACAP38 and fear extinction in humans to inform treatment mechanisms, and the association between PACAP38 and PTSD is variable, requiring further investigation. Participants (n = 123) included representative proportions of women (48.8 %), those with ≥subthreshold PTSD (39.8 %), veterans (33.3 %), and participants of color (59.5 %). Main outcomes and measures included PTSD symptoms (CAPS-IV), peripheral serum PACAP38, differential skin conductance response during a fear conditioning paradigm. The Middle-Out Approach was applied to integrate behavioral, biological, and physiological indicators and identify precise clinical phenotypes using latent class analysis. The current study provides behavioral, biological, and physiological evidence of a homogeneous subgroup (13.8 %), composed largely of women, for whom peripheral PACAP38 levels were over twofold higher than other participants (ηp2=.52-.56) and associated with a unique constellation of Intrusive-Hypervigilant PTSD symptoms and impairments in fear extinction retention. Results suggest specificity in the association between PACAP38, PTSD symptoms, and fear extinction retention that can inform practical targets for clinical assessment and intervention, and create viable avenues for future research.

Neonicotinoid exposure causes behavioral impairment and delayed mortality of the federally threatened American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus.

Among the most immediate drivers of American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus Olivier) declines, nontarget toxicity to pesticides is poorly understood. Acute, episodic exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides at environmentally relevant concentrations is linked to negative impacts on beneficial terrestrial insect taxa. Beyond mortality, behavioral indicators of toxicity are often better suited to assess sublethal effects of residual concentrations in the environment. First, Nicrophorus spp. congeners were used to generate and identify a low-dose exposure rate (lethal dose 10%; LD10) from an acute, 24-hour exposure and the concentration-series was confirmed by LC-MS/MS. Next, we evaluated the effects of single and repeated low-dose (LD10 = 58.9 ng/beetle) imidacloprid exposure on N. americanus behavior (10 minutes post-dose) and mortality (10 days post-dose). Behavior parameters were analyzed using EthoVision-XT. Control N. americanus were significantly less mobile, demonstrating death-feigning, an anti-predator behavior. Single LD10 dosed N. americanus were hyperactive, traveling over 4 times farther (total distance; p = 0.03) and faster (mean velocity; p = 0.02) than controls. Single and repeated LD10 dosed N. americanus extended their wings without taking flight and flipped on their backs. All control N. americanus survived 10 days post-dose; single LD10 and repeated LD10 exhibited 30% and 50% mortality, respectively. A single LD10 exposure event was sufficient to significantly elicit greater movement and high predation risk behaviors, whereas repeated LD10 exposure did not worsen behavioral impairment but increased mortality over time. Collectively, generalized linear mixed effects models indicated that distance traveled, velocity, and extended wings were significant predictors of mortality. Recently reclassified, the federally threatened N. americanus may be at greater risk to insecticide exposure than previously thought and vulnerable to episodic, low-dose neonicotinoid exposure.

Single High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Intermittent Theta Pulse Stimulation Promote Working Memory Behavior in Participants: An Event-Related Potential Study

ObjectiveRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) has an improving effect in cognitive function, but it is still not clear in what specific cognitive domains. We here combined a single session of TMS (HF-rTMS/iTBS) with electroencephalography (EEG) to clarify the effects of magnetic stimulation techniques on executive function, working memory, and visuospatial attention in healthy participants, and to investigate the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. MethodsFifty-one healthy participants were randomly assigned to three stimulation groups (HF-rTMS, iTBS, and sham groups). Classical psychological paradigms (task-switching, 2-back with visual Oddball) and event-related potentials (ERPs) were performed to compare the behavioral indices of each paradigm before and after the two stimulations, as well as the changes in the ERP components. ResultsAnalysis of behavioral indicators showed that reaction times in the 2-back paradigm were faster after HF-rTMS and iTBS than after sham stimulation. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the behavioral changes in the task-switching and visual Oddball paradigms. ERP analysis showed that N2 amplitude in the frontal and central regions of the participants increased during the 2-back paradigm following HF-rTMS and iTBS; however, no statistically significant differences were observed between the ERP components of the task-switching and visual Oddball paradigms. ConclusionSingle sessions of HF-rTMS and iTBS on the L-DLPFC specifically enhanced working memory performance, with no significant effects on executive function and visuospatial attention. Both true stimulations elicited more negative N2 in the frontal and central channels during the 2-back paradigm, suggesting increased recruitment of cognitive resources from these brain areas. Although iTBS and HF-rTMS improved working memory behavior, iTBS’s shorter stimulation time suggests it may have greater potential for clinical applications in terms of time-benefit costs.