Differences In Behavior Research Articles

Tapeworm infection affects sleep-like behavior in three-spined sticklebacks

Sleep is a complex and conserved biological process that affects several body functions and behaviors. Evidence suggests that there is a reciprocal interaction between sleep and immunity. For instance, fragmented sleep can increase the probability of parasitic infections and reduce the ability to fight infections. Moreover, viral and bacterial infections alter the sleep patterns of infected individuals. However, the effects of macro-parasitic infections on sleep remain largely unknown, and measuring sleep in non-model organisms remains challenging. In this study, we investigated whether macro-parasite infections could alter sleep-like behavior of their hosts. We experimentally infected three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), a freshwater fish, with the tapeworm Schistocephalus solidus and used a hidden Markov model to characterize sleep-like behavior in sticklebacks. One to four days after parasite exposure, infected fish showed no difference in sleep-like behavior compared with non-exposed fish, and fish that were exposed-but-not-infected only showed a slight reduction in sleep-like behavior during daytime. Twenty-nine to 32 days after exposure, infected fish showed more sleep-like behavior than control fish, while exposed-but-not-infected fish showed overall less sleep-like behavior. Using brain transcriptomics, we identified immune- and sleep-associated genes that potentially underlie the observed behavioral changes. These results provide insights into the complex association between macro-parasite infection, immunity, and sleep in fish and may thus contribute to a better understanding of reciprocal interactions between sleep and immunity.

On the right track: decoding self-regulated learning in young students’ log data with the digital train track task

Assessing self-regulated learning (SRL)—the interplay between monitoring and control behavior—remains challenging, particularly in young learners. The unobtrusive assessment with log data to investigate SRL offers a promising method to deepen the understanding of the SRL process of young students. Despite the significant potential of log data to enhance the measurement of SRL, recent research encounters new challenges of operationalization, transparency, generalizability, validity, and reproducibility. This study introduces an innovative instrument, the digital train track task (TTT), for assessing SRL with log data in young learners, focusing on monitoring and controlling behavior. Log data of 85 primary school students (second to fifth grades, aged 7–13 years) performing one simple and one complex TTT were analyzed. As a novel method, finite state machines (FSM) were applied to extract SRL-related actions and states from the log data. To evaluate and explore the potential of the digital TTT, monitoring, and control behavior during simple and complex tasks were compared, employing frequency-based statistical analysis and transition graphs. Additionally, the log data were multimethodically linked with think-aloud data. The results revealed differences in monitoring and control behavior during the simple and the complex tasks regarding frequency, duration, and transitions between the SRL-related states. Extracted SRL-related states from log data and corresponding think-aloud data showed significant correlations. Adding to the growing body of log data research, this study offers an innovative task to validly assess the metacognitive self-regulation processes of young learners during problem-solving. The transparent, theory-based operationalization of SRL in this study, taking into account recent demands for SRL log data research, allows better reproducibility and transfer and adds to the generalizability of findings from SRL log data research.

Gaining or cutting SLAC: the evolution of plant guard cell signalling pathways.

The evolution of adjustable stomatal pores, enabling CO2 acquisition, was one of the most significant events in the development of life on land. Here, we investigate how the guard cell signalling pathways that regulate stomatal movements evolved. We compare fern and angiosperm guard cell transcriptomes and physiological responses, and examine the functionality of ion channels from diverse plant species. We find that, despite conserved expression in guard cells, fern anion channels from the SLAC/SLAH family are not activated by the same abscisic acid (ABA) pathways that provoke stomatal closure in angiosperms. Accordingly, we find an insensitivity of fern stomata to ABA. Moreover, our analysis points to a complex evolutionary history, featuring multiple gains and/or losses of SLAC activation mechanisms, as these channels were recruited to a role in stomatal closure. Our results show that the guard cells of flowering and nonflowering plants share similar core features, with lineage-specific and ecological niche-related adaptations, likely underlying differences in behaviour.

Students’ local vs. global views of data distributions: a cross-grade-level analysis using eye-tracking

AbstractThe ability to interpret and compare data distributions is an important educational goal. Inherent in the statistical concept of distribution is the need to focus not only on individual data points or small groups of data points (so-called local view), but to perceive a distribution as a whole, allowing to recognize global features such as center, spread, and shape (so-called global view). However, the latter is challenging for students to acquire. This study, involving 68 students in grades 4, 6, and 8, had two main objectives. First, we aimed to examine the potential impact of grade level on how students perceive and compare distributions presented in dot plots. Despite variations in specific pre-knowledge, our findings showed no significant grade-related differences in students’ gaze behavior or their ability to process global features when comparing distributions. This finding suggests that there is no significant developmental trend across grade levels regarding students’ capacity to perceive distributions globally, a critical aim in statistics education. Our second objective was to extend the findings of our previous work regarding the identification of specific eye-tracking measures as indicators of students’ local vs. global views. In line with our hypotheses, differences in gaze behavior between students with a local and global view were determined regardless of their grade level. This robustness across different educational stages underscores the validity of specific eye-tracking measures as reliable indicators for students local vs. global view of data. Our research highlights the potential of eye-tracking for understanding students’ data interpretation approaches in statistics education.

Investigating the exciton dynamics in InGaN/GaN core-shell nanorods using time-resolved cathodoluminescence.

This study examines the exciton dynamics in InGaN/GaN core-shell nanorods using time-resolved cathodoluminescence (TRCL), which provides nanometer-scale lateral spatial and tens of picoseconds temporal resolutions. The focus is on thick (>20 nm) InGaN layers on the non-polar, semi-polar and polar InGaN facets, which are accessible for study due to the unique nanorod geometry. Spectrally integrated TRCL decay transients reveal distinct recombination behaviours across these facets, indicating varied exciton lifetimes. By extracting fast and slow lifetime components and observing their temperature trends along with those of the integrated and peak intensity, the differences in behaviour were linked to variations in point defect density and the degree and density of localisation centres in the different regions. Further analysis shows that the non-polar and polar regions demonstrate increasing lifetimes with decreasing emission energy, attributed to an increase in the depth of localisation. The semi-polar facet instead showed a spectral independence of the lifetime which could not be rationalised by an absence of exciton localisation. This investigation provides insights into the intricate exciton dynamics in InGaN/GaN nanorods, offering valuable information for the design and development of optoelectronic devices.

Reasons for not seeking alcohol treatment among a sample of Florida adults with HIV who perceived the need for treatment

BackgroundA minority of people who need alcohol treatment receive it. Unhealthy alcohol use is common among people with HIV (PWH) and can lead to negative health outcomes. The aims of this multi-methods study are to (1) quantitatively describe the prevalence, psychosocial characteristics, and demographic traits of a sample of PWH currently receiving HIV care in Florida who had a self-reported need for alcohol treatment but did not seek care and (2) qualitatively explore reasons why PWH did not seek treatment.MethodsPWH enrolled in the Florida Cohort Study between October 2020 and February 2023 who had drinking history (N = 487) completed a cross-sectional survey that asked if there was a time when they recognized they needed help for their drinking but did not seek it. If yes, they were asked an open-ended follow-up question about reasons why they did not seek care. Demographic and behavioral differences between those who did and did not endorse a time when they needed alcohol treatment were determined using multivariable logistic regression, while qualitative data were analyzed with thematic analysis based in the Social-Ecological Model to assess reasons for not seeking care at the individual, social, and systems levels.ResultsA quarter of PWH (n = 129) with lifetime drinking indicated a time they needed care but did not seek it. Patients who endorsed a time where they perceived the need for treatment but did not seek it were more likely to endorse current at-risk drinking and a history of ever trying to reduce their drinking or formally seek professional alcohol treatment. The most common reasons participants did not seek care were individual level factors and included shame, denial, fear, wanting to do it on their own, not feeling ready, and not wanting to seek care.ConclusionsPWH experienced barriers largely at the individual level that prevented them from seeking alcohol treatment despite a recognized need, though many eventually sought care. Providers and public health professionals should consider helping to address various barriers, particularly internal barriers, when designing interventions to help PWH seek care.

Use of fentanyl test strips by people who inject drugs: Baseline findings from the South Atlantic Fentanyl Test Strip Study (SAFTSS)

BackgroundResearch published during the early fentanyl period exposed a growing concern of unwitting fentanyl exposure and a general willingness to use fentanyl test strips (FTS). A paucity of FTS studies over the last several years has restricted our ability to understand FTS use in the late fentanyl era. The South Atlantic FTS Study (SAFTSS) was established to investigate contemporaneous changes in FTS use and drug use behavior among a rural cohort of PWID. MethodsBetween June 2021 and March 2022, a total of 541 PWID completed an in-person survey. Baseline survey questions included demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, and drugs used. FTS questions covered lifetime use, past 6-months, and past 30-day use and included reasons for using FTS, levels of access, and confidence testing illicit opioids and stimulants. Multivariable analyses examined significant baseline correlates of lifetime and 30-day FTS use. ResultsOverall, more than half (58%; N=315) used FTS in their lifetime. Among lifetime FTS users, almost half (47%) used FTS in the past 6 months and 30% in the past 30 days, with an average of 13 months from last FTS use and the baseline survey. The most common reason for not using FTS was “not having them with me when I use drugs.” Less frequent reasons were “I already know it's fentanyl” followed by “FTS take too much time to use.” Among past 30-day FTS users, 74% used FTS on heroin, 55% on methamphetamine, and 33% on fentanyl. Consumer confidence using FTS was higher with illicit opioids (66%) but lower for methamphetamine (43%). In both the lifetime and past 30-day models, PWID with FTS use were more likely than non-users to have witnessed an overdose in the past six months (lifetime aOR = 2.85, p<.001; 30-day aOR=2.57, p<.01). Virtually no differences in drug use behaviors were found when comparing past 30-days FTS use to no FTS use. Women (aOR=1.68, p<.05) and non-white PWID (aOR=2.43, p<.05) were more likely than men and white PWID to have used FTS. ConclusionsDeclines in FTS use are consistent with what syringe services programs have been signaling for years. Needs assessments to gauge interest in FTS before scaling up can help ensure funding better spent on naloxone and syringes is not allocated to idle FTS. Increased FTS among women and racial minorities presents opportunities for tailored interventions. Recognizing trauma associated with witnessing overdoses as a growing component of the opioid epidemic is a critical first step toward addressing the full spectrum of drug-related harm.

Identifying Process Differences with ToF-SIMS: An MVA Decomposition Strategy.

In time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), multivariate analysis (MVA) methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) are routinely employed to differentiate spectra. However, additional insights can often be gained by comparing processes, where each process is characterized by its own start and end spectra, such as when identical samples undergo slightly different treatments or when slightly different samples receive the same treatment. This study proposes a strategy to compare such processes by decomposing the loading vectors associated with them, which highlights differences in the relative behavior of the peaks. This strategy identifies key information beyond what is captured by the loading vectors or the end spectra alone. While PCA is widely used, partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) serves as a supervised alternative and is the preferred method for deriving process-related loading vectors when classes are narrowly separated. The effectiveness of the decomposition strategy is demonstrated using artificial spectra and applied to a ToF-SIMS materials science case study on the photodegradation of N719 dye, a common dye in photovoltaics, on a mesoporous TiO2 anode. The study revealed that the photodegradation process varies over time, and the resulting fragments have been identified accordingly. The proposed methodology, applicable to both labeled (supervised) and unlabeled (unsupervised) spectral data, can be seamlessly integrated into most modern mass spectrometry data analysis workflows to automatically generate a list of peaks whose relative behavior varies between two processes, and is particularly effective in identifying subtle differences between highly similar physicochemical processes.

Association of genomically enhanced residual feed intake with performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior, gas flux, and nutrient digestibility in growing Holstein heifers.

Residual feed intake (RFI), a metric of feed efficiency, is moderately heritable and independent of body size and productivity, making it an ideal trait for investigation as a selection criterion to improve feed efficiency of growing cattle. The objective of this study was to examine the differences in performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior, gas flux, and nutrient digestibility in Holstein heifers with divergent genomically enhanced breeding values for RFI (RFIg). Holstein heifers (n = 55; BW = 352 ± 64kg) with low (n = 29) or high (n = 26) RFIg were selected from a contemporary group of 453 commercial Holstein heifers. Heifers were rotated between 1 of 2 pens, each equipped with four electronic feed bunks and one pen with a GreenFeed gaseous exchange monitoring (GEM) system. Individual dry matter intake (DMI) and feeding behavior data were collected for 84-d. Body weight (BW) was measured weekly and spot fecal samples collected at weighing. Phenotypic RFI (RFIp) was calculated as the residual from regression of DMI on average daily gain (ADG) and mid-test metabolic BW (BW0.75). A mixed model including the fixed effect of RFIg classification and random effect of group was used to evaluate the effect of RFIg classification on response variables. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in BW and ADG for heifers with divergent RFIg; however, low RFIg heifers consumed 7.5% less (P < 0.05) feed per day. Consequently, low RFIg heifers exhibited a more favorable (P < 0.05) RFIp (-0.196 vs 0.222kg/d, respectively). Low RFIg heifers had 8.7% fewer (P < 0.05) bunk visit (BV) events per day and tended to have a 11.2% slower (P < 0.10) eating rate. Low RFIg heifers had 7.7% lower (P < 0.05) methane (CH4) emissions (g/d), 6.1% lower (P ≤ 0.05) carbon dioxide (CO2) production (g/d), and 5.6% lower (P ≤ 0.05) heat production (Mcal/d) than high RFIg heifers. However, CH4 yield and CO2 yield (g/kg DMI), and heat production per unit DMI (Mcal/kg DMI) did not differ (P > 0.05) between heifers with divergent RFIg. Dry matter and nutrient digestibility did not differ (P > 0.05) between heifers with divergent RFIg. Overall, heifers selected to be more feed efficient exhibited more favorable energy efficiencies and feed efficiency phenotypes. Results suggest that selection based on RFIg provides opportunities to select cattle with favorable feed efficiency phenotypes to increase the economic and environmental sustainability of the cattle industry.

Sexuality and Gender Issues in Autistic Youth: A Series of 6 Cases and a Literature Review

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) involves challenges in social communication and repetitive behaviors, impacting daily functioning. Individuals with ASD face unique difficulties regarding sexuality, often experiencing mismatches between sexual development and social maturity, leading to potential inappropriate behaviors. Social competence deficits may limit their understanding of sexuality, increasing risks of offending or victimization. Gender differences in sexual behavior are evident, with males showing earlier and more frequent sexual activity, while females demonstrate greater flexibility in sexual orientation. This paper presents six clinical cases highlighting the diverse experiences of sexuality and gender identity in autistic individuals, offering insights into the complex interactions between ASD, gender, and sexual behavior.

Lifestyle behaviors and mental health outcomes in sexual and gender minority graduate students

Objective There are well-documented health disparities among sexual and/or gender minority (LGBTQ+) individuals generally, but there is limited research investigating the disparities in health-related lifestyle factors and mental health among LGBTQ+ graduate students, which is a group that may be especially vulnerable. Participants This project was a secondary analysis of data from the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment’s (NCHA) Fall 2019 wave, which included 7,766 graduate students. Methods Students self-reported engagement in health-related lifestyle factors and psychological distress. Welch’s independent samples t-tests were used to compare differences in psychological distress and lifestyle behaviors and multiple linear regression models were used to test lifestyle factors as predictors of LGBTQ+ psychological distress. Results LGBTQ+ graduate students reported worse lifestyle profiles compared to their peers and greater psychological distress. Sleep quality had the strongest association with psychological distress among LGBTQ+ graduate students. Conclusions These findings have important implications for policies and interventions to improve health and decrease suffering in LGBTQ+ graduate students.

Absent, but not glucocorticoid-modulated, corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) regulates anxiety-like behaviors in mice.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a well characterized endocrine response system. Hypothalamic Crh in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) initiates HPA axis signaling to cause the release of cortisol (or corticosterone in rodents) from the adrenal gland. PVH-specific deletion of Crh reduces anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Here we report that manipulation of PVH Crh expression in primary adrenal insufficiency or by dexamethasone (DEX) treatment do not alter mouse anxiety behaviors. In Experiment 1, we compared wildtype (WT) mice to those with primary adrenal insufficiency ( Mrap KO) or global deletion of Crh ( Crh KO). We analyzed behaviors using open field (OF) and elevated plus maze (EPM), PVH Crh mRNA expression by spatial transcriptomics, and plasma ACTH and corticosterone after a 15-minute restraint test with ELISAs. EPM analysis showed Crh KO mice were less anxious than WT and Mrap KO mice, and Mrap KO mice had no distinguishing behavioral phenotype. In Experiment 2, we evaluated HPA axis habituation to chronically elevated Crh expression by comparing mice treated with 5-8 weeks of DEX with those similarly treated followed by DEX withdrawal for 1 week. All mice regardless of genotype and treatment showed no significant behavioral differences. Our findings suggest that reduced anxiety associated with low Crh expression requires extreme deficiency, perhaps outside of those PVH Crh neurons negatively regulated by glucocorticoids. If these findings extend to humans, they suggest that increases in Crh expression with primary adrenal insufficiency, or decreases with exogenous glucocorticoid therapy, may not alter anxiety behaviors via modulation of Crh expression.

What explains the sex differences in family leisure activities of children? A genetically sensitive analysis with twin data

Objective: This paper examines to what extent genetic and environmental influences contribute to differences in family leisure activities of girls and boys. Background: While family leisure activities have been described as relevant for child development, it remains unclear what accounts for differences in the leisure behavior of girls and boys. While research emphasized the importance of the environment, e.g., in relation to gender role socialization, other studies pointed to biological and, thus, genetic differences as explanatory factors. Method: The analysis is based on 954 female and 1036 male twins aged 10-12 years who are part of the first wave of the German Twin Family Panel Study. Our analysis examines five family leisure activities using variance decompositions and gene-environment interaction models. Results: Overall, there were only minor differences between girls and boys in the contributions of genes and environments to family leisure activities. Only for singing and making music did influences from the environment common to both twins contribute more strongly to the performance of these activities in the girls than in the boys. Conclusion: There is no evidence that genetic differences lead to differences in family leisure behavior between girls and boys in the activities considered here. Existing differences are more likely to be due to environmental influences.

A unified confinement-based direct design approach for novel double-skin composite columns

Concrete-filled stiffened steel tubular short columns, with cold-formed stiffened steel tubes for the outer section, have been widely used in Asia in large commercial facilities and warehouses. This paper focuses on the response of concrete-filled double-skin stiffened steel tubular (CFDSST) short columns and concrete-filled dual stiffened steel tubular (CFDST) short columns, with either square or circular inner tubes. A detailed database of existing information is assembled and presented, as well as a thorough analysis of existing design expressions. Additional examination of the concrete confinement has been undertaken which highlight the differences in behaviour between CFDSST and CFDST cross-sections. The major aim in this work is to provide a unified design approach, which accounts for concrete confinement and accounts for the material and geometric properties of the section, and offers improved accuracy over the existing approaches given in the European, American, British and Chinese design codes. The newly proposed unified confinement-based direct design approach for axially-loaded CFDSST and CFDST short columns is discussed, including the consideration given to the lateral confining pressure provided by the steel tubes. This method is shown to provide more accurate depictions of the load resistances of CFDSST and CFDST short columns relative to the international specifications, with lower scatter and greater range of applicability. It has also been shown that the CFDSST sections with a stiffened outer steel tube provides greater confinement and additional strength compared with equivalent unstiffened circular tubes of high relative tube slenderness. Given the easier fabrication and installation of beam-to-square column joints compared with circular columns, this is likely to extend their range of application in the future.

Temporal and spatial analysis of event-related potentials in response to color saliency differences among various color vision types.

Human color vision exhibits significant diversity that cannot be fully explained by categorical classifications. Understanding how individuals with different color vision phenotypes perceive, recognize, and react to the same physical stimuli provides valuable insights into sensory characteristics. This study aimed to identify behavioral and neural differences between different color visions, primarily classified as typical trichromats and anomalous trichromats, in response to two chromatic stimuli, blue-green and red, during an attention-demanding oddball task. We analyzed the P3 component of event-related potentials (ERPs), associated with attention, and conducted a broad spatiotemporal exploration of neural differences. Behavioral responses were also analyzed to complement neural data. Participants included typical trichromats (n = 13) and anomalous trichromats (n = 5), and the chromatic stimuli were presented in an oddball paradigm. Typical trichromats exhibited faster potentiation from the occipital to parietal regions in response to the more salient red stimulus, particularly in the area overlapping with the P3 component. In contrast, anomalous trichromats revealed faster potentiation to the expected more salient blue-green stimulus in the occipital to parietal regions, with no other significant neural differences between stimuli. Comparisons between the color vision types showed no significant overall neural differences. The large variability in red-green sensitivity among anomalous trichromats, along with neural variability not fully explained by this sensitivity, likely contributed to the absence of clear neural distinctions based on color saliency. While reaction times were influenced by red-green sensitivity, neural signals showed ambiguity regarding saliency differences. These findings suggest that factors beyond red-green sensitivity influenced neural activity related to color perception and cognition in minority color vision phenotypes. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to more comprehensively explore these neural dynamics and their broader implications.

Sex differences in behavior and glutamic acid decarboxylase in Long Evans rats after prolonged social isolation beginning in adolescence.

Social isolation can have long-term effects on brain development and behavior and increases the risk of developing clinical conditions, including anxiety disorders. One modulator of the stress response is gamma-aminobutyric acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter synthesized by glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). This study examined sex differences in behavior and GAD expression following prolonged social isolation beginning in adolescence in Long Evans rats. Males and females were equally divided into group-housed (GH) and socially isolated conditions on Postnatal Day 28 (n = 8 per group). Beginning 5 weeks later, tests were conducted for anxietylike behaviors (open-field test and elevated plus maze), social interactions (sociability test), and spatial memory (novel object location). Sex differences in behavior were observed, with GH females showing fewer anxietylike behaviors in the open-field test and elevated plus maze and spending more time with objects (sociability task) compared to GH males. Isolation had no effect on males but increased anxiety and reduced neophilic measures in females, removing sex differences. On the sociability task, all groups spent more time with novel rats compared to objects, suggesting social interest was retained after isolation. In the hippocampus, isolation reduced GAD in both sexes, and sex differences were seen (F > M). However, no group differences in behavior were observed in the hippocampal-dependent novel object location task. Our findings suggest that prolonged social isolation beginning in adolescence is anxiogenic for female Long Evans rats. Furthermore, sex and housing impact hippocampal GABA-ergic activity, which may have important implications in the treatment of anxiety disorders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Empowered or informed? Seeking to mitigate gender differences in first-offer assertiveness through pre-negotiation interventions

Gender differences in negotiation behavior—for instance, men’s vs. women’s likelihood to make (assertive) first offers—contribute to the globally prevalent gender pay gap (GPG). In an attempt to mitigate the social and economic consequences of this gender disparity, we first empirically validated two pre-negotiation message interventions in a pilot study (N = 203). In the main experimental intervention study (N = 585), male versus female participants randomly received this (1) informative message about the GPG, or (2) gender-specific empowering message, or (3) no message in the control condition. In a subsequent negotiation task on the starting salary for a new job, we assessed participants’ (a) likelihood-to-initiate a first offer and (b) first-offer assertiveness. Results showed a remarkably robust behavioral gender disparity: across all conditions, men were more likely to make the first offer (d = 0.178) and made them more assertively (d = 0.339). Importantly, compared to the control condition, the informative (dinform = 0.304) and the empowering (dempower = 0.255) pre-negotiation interventions increased women’s first-offer assertiveness. Similar intervention benefits emerged for men (dinform = 0.259; dempower = 0.284), however, yielding an overall remarkably robust gender difference. To explore the underlying reasons for this gender disparity, we tested four competing psychological mechanisms (i.e., self-esteem, positive and negative affect, GPG awareness, and self-efficacy). Our results highlight the impact that even short, minimal interventions can have on gender differences in negotiation behavior and illustrate which psychological mechanisms explain the emergence of gender disparity in the first place.

Age- and Sex-Specific Differences in Lyme Disease Health-Related Behaviors, Ontario, Canada, 2015-2022.

We investigated differences in risk factors and preventive behaviors by age and sex among persons with reported Lyme disease in Ontario, Canada, during 2015-2022. Incidence rates peaked among children 5-9 and adults 50-79 years of age. Median age was higher for female than male case-patients (54 vs. 51 years). Male case-patients reported more activity in wooded and tall grass areas than did female case-patients; fewer male case-patients reported sharing living space with outdoor-exposed companion animals. As age increased, more case-patients reported activity in blacklegged tick habitats, exposure to ticks, and wearing adequate clothing, but fewer reported sharing living space with outdoor-exposed companion animals. Adoption of preventive behaviors was relatively low and did not differ by sex. Male case-patients, children 5-9 years of age and their parents or caregivers, and adults >59 years of age represent populations that would benefit from tailored public health messaging on Lyme disease prevention.

Sex differences in exploratory behavior of rats successfully performing the object-in-place recognition memory test

Male and female rodents display unique search strategies when exploring new and familiar environments. Sex differences are well-documented in the literature and may be observed in tasks that rely on spontaneous exploration (e.g., recognition memory tests). Therefore, we assessed patterns of male and female rat behavior in the object-in-place (OiP) test, a common recognition memory paradigm involving object-location associations. Twelve male and 12 female adult Long Evans rats were tested four times in the 1-h OiP test and exploratory behaviors were compared during habituation, sample, and test phases. Results revealed that females moved faster and farther than males, showed increased immobility frequency and reduced immobility duration, reduced outer zone mobility duration, and increased inner zone entrances, compared to males during habituations. During sample phases, female rats moved faster than males, displayed reduced immobility frequency in the inner zone, and demonstrated consistent distance travelled across repeated sessions; conversely, male rats moved less in later sessions and exhibited increased mobility frequency in the outer zone. Analyses comparing test phase behavior revealed females continued to move faster than males; however, no other sex differences were observed. These findings are consistent with previous literature highlighting unique sex differences in explorative behaviors during recognition testing. Sex differences in locomotion and mobility state behaviors may be more indicative of individual motivation and search strategy between the sexes and less indicative of recognition memory.

D-MHGCN: An End-to-End Individual Behavioral Prediction Model Using Dual Multi-Hop Graph Convolutional Network.

Predicting individual behavior is a crucial area of research in neuroscience. Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), as powerful tools for extracting graph-structured features, are increasingly being utilized in various functional connectivity (FC) based behavioral prediction tasks. However, current predictive models primarily focus on enhancing GNNs' ability to extract features from FC networks while neglecting the importance of upstream individual network construction quality. This oversight results in constructed functional networks that fail to adequately represent individual behavioral capacity, thereby affecting the subsequent prediction accuracy. To address this issue, we proposed a new GNN-based behavioral prediction framework, named Dual Multi-Hop Graph Convolutional Network (D-MHGCN). Through the joint training of two GCNs, this framework integrates individual functional network construction and behavioral prediction into a unified optimization model. It allows the model to dynamically adjust the individual functional cortical parcellation according to the downstream tasks, thus creating task-aware, individual-specific FCNs that largely enhance its ability to predict behavior scores. Additionally, we employed multi-hop graph convolution layers instead of traditional single-hop methods in GCN to capture complex hierarchical connectivity patterns in brain networks. Our experimental evaluations, conducted on the large, public Human Connectome Project dataset, demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms existing methods in various behavioral prediction tasks. Moreover, it produces more functionally homogeneous cortical parcellation, showcasing its practical utility and effectiveness. Our work not only enhances the accuracy of individual behavioral prediction but also provides deeper insights into the neural mechanisms underlying individual differences in behavior.