Accumulation Model Research Articles

Research on the Contribution of Higher Education to the Sustainable Development of the Economy in China: An Empirical Analysis Based on Provincial Panel Data from 2014 to 2023

In a time of rapid economic development, sustainable development is increasingly becoming the primary concern of governments. Taking the human capital accumulation and spillover model as an analytical tool, we use interprovincial panel data for 2014–2023 to estimate the degree of contribution of higher education to the sustainable development of the economy. Instrumental variables are introduced to alleviate the problem of endogeneity. An urbanization index is also introduced, as well as an interaction term formed by the marketization index and the independent variable to explore the extent of the contribution of higher education to the sustainable development of the regional economy. There are regional differences in the contribution of higher education to sustainable economic development. The study shows that higher education has a significant positive effect on regional economic sustainability. The higher the level of urbanization and the higher the level of marketization, the more significant the positive effect of higher education on economic sustainability. We should continuously increase investment in higher education, optimize the structure and layout of higher education, promote the synergistic development of higher education and urbanization, and deepen the interaction between higher education and market-oriented reform in order to actively promote higher education to serve the sustainable development of regional economies.

Comparative Foliar Atmospheric Mercury Accumulation across Functional Types in Temperate Trees.

Vegetation assimilation of atmospheric gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) represents the largest dry deposition pathway in global terrestrial ecosystems. This study investigated Hg accumulation mechanisms in deciduous broadleaves and evergreen needles, focusing on how ecophysiological strategies─reflected by δ13C, δ18O, leaf mass per area, and leaf dry matter content-mediated Hg accumulation. Results showed that deciduous leaves exhibited higher total Hg (THg) concentrations and accumulation rates (THgrate), which were 85.3 ± 17.7 and 110.0 ± 0.3% higher than those in evergreen needles. The two tree types exhibited distinct ecophysiological strategies: deciduous broadleaves, with higher stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rates, rapidly adjust stomata to changes in meteorological and pollutant factors, playing a key role in controlling THgrate. In contrast, evergreen needles featured stable stomatal control, highlighting the direct positive effect of GEM on their THgrate. Precipitation and wind speed negatively influenced foliar THgrate. Correlations between PM2.5, NO2, and THgrate in evergreen needles suggested synergistic patterns between atmospheric Hg and pollutants. This study underscores distinct GEM accumulation mechanisms across tree functional types and emphasizes the importance of species-specific foliar ecophysiological strategies. An empirical model linking THgrate with ecophysiological, meteorological, and atmospheric pollution factors was provided, contributing to the refinement of foliar Hg accumulation models.

Camellia saponin modulates oleic acid/linoleic acid-induced lipogenesis in human sebocytes through lipophagy activation.

Oily skin not only threatens people with aesthetic and hygienic discomfort but also confronts them with annoying skin problems. To explore new skin care ingredients from herbal or plant extracts and understand their underlying mechanism for sebum control would assist in the discovery of desirable sebosuppressive agents, though it is still a deserving and challenging task. To explore the effect of Camellia saponin (CS) on modulating the lipogenesis of human sebocytes. Moreover, to explore the underlying mechanism of CS on oleic acid/linoleic acid (OL) mixture stimulated lipid accumulation. The lipid accumulation model of cells was constructed by OL-induction invitro. The lipid synthesis in SZ95 sebocytes was detected by Oil Red O, Nile Red and BODIPY staining and the distribution of lipid droplets and autophagosomes were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fluorescence staining, immunofluorescence and western blot (WB) were used to characterize the spatial localization of lipid droplets (LDs)/autophagosome/lysosome, the levels of LC3 and P62 proteins related to intracellular autophagy, as well as the pH of lysosome. CS treatment significantly relieved OL-induced lipid accumulation in SZ95 sebocytes. Furthermore, CS maintained lysosomal acid environment to promote the fusion of autophagosome and lysosome, thus recovering the OL-induced blockage of autophagy flow. We also found that CS activated AMPK, and down-regulated mTOR in SZ95 sebocytes. CS was able to relieve OL-stimulated sebum accumulation in cultured human SZ95 sebocytes through lipophagy, in which process CS maintained lysosomal acid environment and activated the AMPK/mTOR pathway.

Forecasting Renewable Energy Consumption Using a Novel Fractional Grey Reverse Accumulation Model

The accumulation operation is the most fundamental method for processing data in grey models, playing a decisive role in the accuracy of model predictions. However, the traditional forward accumulation method does not adhere to the principle of prioritizing new information. Therefore, we propose a novel fractional reverse accumulation, which increases the accumulation coefficient for new data to fully utilize the new information carried by the latest data. This led to the development of a novel grey model, termed the FGRM(1,1). This model was validated using renewable energy consumption data from France, Spain, the UK, and Europe, and the results demonstrated that the FGRM(1,1) outperformed other models in terms of simulation error, prediction error, and comprehensive error. The predictions indicated significant growth in renewable energy consumption for France and Spain, moderate growth for the UK, and robust growth for Europe overall. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the proposed model in utilizing new information and provide insights into energy transition and emission reduction potential in Europe.

The CD74 inhibitor DRhQ improves short-term memory and mitochondrial function in 5xFAD mouse model of Aβ accumulation.

Neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction are early events in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and contribute to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. Evidence suggests that the inflammatory axis mediated by macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) binding to its receptor, CD74, plays an important role in many central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as AD. Our group has developed DRhQ, a novel CD74 binding construct which competitively inhibits MIF binding, blocks macrophage activation and migration into the CNS, enhances anti-inflammatory microglia cell numbers and reduces pro-inflammatory gene expression. Here, we evaluate its effects in amyloid-β (Aβ) overexpressing mice. 5xFAD mice and their wild type littermates were treated with DRhQ (100µg) or vehicle for 4 weeks. DRhQ improved cognition and cortical mitochondrial function in both male and female 5xFAD mice. Aβ plaque burden in 5xFAD animals was not robustly impacted by DRhQ treatment in either the hippocampus or the cortex. Cortical microglial activation was similarly not apparently affected by DRhQ treatment, although in the hippocampus there was evidence of a reduction in activated microglia for female 5xFAD mice. Future studies are needed to confirm this possible sex-dependent response on microglial activation, as well as to optimize the dose and timing of DRhQ treatment and gain a better understanding of its mechanism of action in AD.

Short- and long-term health effects of job insecurity. Fixed effects panel analysis of German data.

Previous research has linked job insecurity to health deterioration. The risk accumulation model suggests that health effects of job insecurity may persist even after job security is restored, yet long-term empirical analyses are scarce. Our study evaluates the long-term effects of accumulated exposures to affective job insecurity on mental and physical health among the working-age population in Germany. Using data from the German Socioeconomic Panel (12 624 individuals; 84 219 observations), we applied panel regression models with individual fixed effects to assess short- and long-term health changes associated with affective job insecurity. Job insecurity was measured by respondents' worries about job security. Mental and physical health was recorded with the SF-12 scale. Job insecurity correlated with short-term worsening in mental and physical health. However, after job insecurity ceased, health recovery was incomplete resulting in a long-term health deterioration. The long-term effects were larger among respondents who accumulated more instances of job insecurity, and showed a similar pattern for mental and physical health. An additional analysis documented stronger health effects of job insecurity among lower educated persons. Our study is one of the first to empirically demonstrate the negative long-term health effects of job insecurity. Our findings for a well-protected labor market like Germany's, suggest that the health risks associated with job insecurity may be substantial and potentially underestimated by studies that focus solely on short-term effects.

Combined Impacts of Climate and Tree Physiology on Mercury Accumulation in Tropical and Subtropical Foliage and Robust Model Parametrization.

Atmospheric elemental mercury (Hg0) assimilation by foliage contributes prevalently to the global atmospheric Hg0 sink in forests. Today, little is known about the mechanisms of foliar Hg accumulation and how climate factors and tree physiology interact to impact it. Here, we examined meteorological factors, foliar physiological traits, and Hg accumulation rates from leaf emergence to senescence in a tropical rainforest, tropical savanna, and subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest. Also, robust models for foliar Hg accumulation were parametrized. Generally, foliar Hg accumulation rate in subtropical evergreen forest was highest (16.4 ± 12.3 ng m-2 day-1), followed by the tropical rainforest (14.2 ± 9.8 ng m-2 day-1), and lowest in the tropical savanna (4.7 ± 4.9 ng m-2 day-1). Atmospheric relative humidity, stomatal conductance, and leaf photosynthesis are key drivers of spatial-temporal variations in foliar Hg accumulation. The canopy-structure-induced specific leaf physiological traits drive temporal variations in foliar Hg accumulation, and climate-controlled leaf physiological traits account for spatial variations among three forests. Finally, our robust models enable precise simulation of foliar Hg accumulation rates at both tree species and ecosystem scales facilitating particularly regional and global Hg transport and chemical models to quantify the vegetation's role as a sink for atmospheric Hg0 uptake.

Tea (Camellia sinensis) Seed Saponins Act as Sebosuppression Agents via the AMPK/mTOR Pathway.

Excessive lipogenesis of the skin triggers some dermatological concerns, such as enlarged pores, acne, and blackheads. Although topical drug treatments can offer temporary relief, their prolonged usage may lead to side effects of dryness, irritation, or allergic reactions. Consequently, the development of safer and efficacious ingredients in cosmetics for managing sebum overproduction represents a significant yet challenging endeavor. Saponins were extracted from tea (Camellia sinensis) seed meal and purified by macroporous resin in order to investigate the impact of tea seed saponins (TSS) on lipid production in human immortalized sebaceous cells. Moreover, we attempted to reveal the underlying mechanism of TSS on the sebosuppression effect in SZ95 sebocytes stimulated by linoleic acid (LA). The compositions and chemical structures of TSS were determined using UV-vis absorption spectrum, Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectrum, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. An invitro model of cellular lipid accumulation induced by LA was established. Total lipid synthesis in intracellular SZ95 sebocytes was assessed through Nile Red staining, while triglyceride, cholesterol, and fatty acids were quantified by commercially assay kits. Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were employed to analyze the protein expression levels involved in the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway as well as the downstream protein and mRNA expressions of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and fatty acid synthase (FAS). The localizations of SREBP-1 within the cytoplasm or nucleus were characterized using immunofluorescence staining. Five saponins were identified in the extracted TSS, all of which were oleanic acid-type pentacyclic triterpenes. TSS treatment significantly alleviated LA-induced lipid accumulation in SZ95 sebocytes. In addition, TSS activated the AMPK/mTOR pathway and downregulated the downstream protein and mRNA expression of transcription factors and enzymes, including SREBP-1, PPARγ, and FAS. Moreover, the TSS blocked the nuclear transfer of SREBP-1 from cytoplasm to nucleus. In human sebocytes, TSS exhibited sebosuppressive effect as revealed by the inhibited production of total lipids as well as triglyceride, cholesterol, and fatty acids. Moreover, the anti-lipogenesis mechanism by TSS involved the activation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway and downregulated downstream transcription factors and enzymes of SREBP-1, PPARγ, and FAS. Additionally, TSS blocked the SREBP-1 nuclear translocation. These results may justify the potent of TSS as a new candidate for modulating lipogenesis in human SZ95 sebocytes.

Associations Between Frailty and Risk of All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients with Prediabetes: A Population-Based Study.

Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for frailty that has been associated with adverse prognosis. However, the association of frailty with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in patients with prediabetes has not been thoroughly explored. Participants with prediabetes were derived from the 1999-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and followed up for all-cause and CVD mortality until December 31, 2019. A frailty index calculated using a 49-item deficit accumulation model > 0.21 was used to indicate the presence of frailty. Kaplan-Meier curves and weighted Cox proportional hazards regression were used to assess the association between frailty and mortality. The weighted prevalence of frailty was 28.21% in this cohort of 7845 prediabetic participants with a mean age of 62.89 years. During a median follow-up time of 90 months, a total of 1983 all-cause (636 CVD-related) deaths occurred. Each 0.01 score increase in the frailty index was associated with a 5% and 6% increased risk of all-cause and CVD-related mortality, respectively. The hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval for all-cause and CVD mortality in the frailty group were 2.28 (1.89-2.76) and 2.84 (2.01-4.02), respectively, compared with those without frailty. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed a linear association between frailty index and all-cause or CVD mortality. Similar results were observed in the sensitivity analyses. The frailty index was positively associated with all-cause and CVD mortality in participants with prediabetes, highlighting that appropriate screening and management of frailty may help reduce mortality in patients with prediabetes.

Enhanced giant magnetoresistance in Heusler alloy (Co2FeSi/Ag)N multilayers for read sensor applications

Abstract We theoretically investigate the spin transport behavior of multilayer [ Co 2 FeSi / Ag ] N structure for the application of next-generation read sensors in hard disk drive. To demonstrate the potential of the Heusler alloy-based current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) device, we employ an atomistic model coupled with a spin accumulation model including the effect of a diffuse interface. The dynamics of magnetization is observed in the atomistic model and the calculation of magnetoresistance (MR) and MR ratio of the magnetic structure can be achieved by the spin accumulation model enabling us to investigate the spin transport behavior within the structure. The MR value can be directly calculated from the gradient of spin accumulation and spin current. The effect of injected current density is first investigated. It is found that increasing the current density results in a high MR ratio. Subsequently, to achieve a high performance reader, the number of coupled layers (N) is varied up to 16 to study its effect on the MR ratio. The calculated results indicate that increasing the number of layers N gives rise to the enhancement of the resistance change and MR ratio. At the critical point N = 5, further increasing N does not affect the MR ratio, which remains relatively unchanged. Interestingly, the MR ratio is doubled for N > 5 compared to N = 1. Our results demonstrate the possibility of enhancing the performance of multilayer CPP-GMR devices.

Quercetin Alleviates All-Trans-Retinal-Induced Photoreceptor Apoptosis and Retinal Degeneration by Inhibiting the ER Stress-Related PERK Signaling.

All-trans-retinal (atRAL)-induced photoreceptor atrophy and retinal degeneration are hallmark features of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1). The toxicity of atRAL is closely related to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Quercetin, a natural product, is known for its potent antioxidant properties; however, its effects in mitigating atRAL-mediated retinal damage remains unclear. This study investigated the protective effects of quercetin against atRAL-induced photoreceptor damage. Using atRAL-loaded 661W photoreceptor cells, we evaluated cell viability, ROS generation, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress under quercetin treatment. Quercetin significantly restored the cell viability (to 70%) and reduced ROS generation in atRAL-treated 661W cells. Additionally, Western blot analysis demonstrated that quercetin mitigated protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK) signaling, preventing ER stress-induced apoptosis. Importantly, in Abca4-/-Rdh8-/- mice, an animal model of light-induced atRAL accumulation in the retina, quercetin treatment effectively alleviated light-exposed photoreceptor atrophy and retinal degeneration by attenuating PERK signaling. Thus, quercetin protected photoreceptor cells from atRAL-induced damage by inhibiting ROS generation and PERK signaling, which suggests its potential as a therapeutic agent for atRAL-related retinal degeneration.

Microrrelevos: formas e processos pedogeomorfológicos com ênfase em gilgais em ambiente semiárido

Microreliefs are present in several terrestrial ecosystems, including on other planets, such as Mars. These can be indicators of environments with a greater presence of humidity (such as in semi-arid regions), they can be indicators of the presence of expansive clays (2:1), bioturbation or the occurrence of permafrost (in periglacial environments). In the national literature there is a large gap regarding the gilgal microreliefs of the Brazilian semi-arid region. The objective of this study was to analyze the genesis, morphology and features associated with microreliefs, in different terrestrial environments, with an emphasis on gilgais in semi-arid environments based on a bibliographic review study. In areas with microreliefs, soil disturbance occurs in a widespread manner, being associated with freezing, bioturbation, or clay disturbance. In this way, the opening of preferential paths for water percolation (through cracks or channels) is remarkable. In semi-arid tropical environments, the primordial process for the genesis of gilgais is associated with the presence of expansive clays with high activity and accumulation models with a greater occurrence of wetting and drying cycles. Landscapes with microreliefs have in common a complexity of pedological and geomorphological processes, which in order to better discover interscalar relationships, from macro to micro and vice-versa.

Data Governance and Distribution of Biobank: A Case from a Chinese Cancer Hospital.

Objectives: To facilitate the regionalization, specialization, and digitization of biobanks, three issues regarding data collection and application must be addressed (1) integration and distribution of data governance, (2) efficiency and efficacy of data governance, and (3) sustainability of data governance. Methods: We collaborated with stakeholders to identify priorities and assess infrastructure needs through the continuous evaluation and analysis of projects. We developed data management solutions, catalogs, and data models to optimize and support data collection, distribution, and application. Furthermore, ontologies were used to facilitate data integration from multiple sources, and Minimum Information About BIobank Data Sharing (MIABIS) was defined as accessible to all patients. To enhance data integrity, we conducted retrospective and prospective follow-up studies. Results: We completed infrastructure upgrades to match technical solutions and research demands. An information management software with six primary functional divisions was developed for data governance. We optimized the database structure and changed the biospecimen accumulation model from biospecimen-based to patient-centered and service-oriented. Subsequently, we specified 85 attributes of MIABIS to describe the biobank contents. A dual-pillar approach was adopted to expand the biobank's data in collaboration with other institutions, and MIABIS served as a bridge for both vertical and horizontal networks. From 2003 to 2021, we collected a total of 156,997 patient biospecimens/data from 20 cancer types, matching 53,113 cases from follow-up surveys. In addition, we supplied more than 40,000 biospecimens/data points for above 300 scientific research projects. Conclusions: An appropriate information platform for a biobank is fundamental to data collection, distribution, and application, particularly in the context of data-intensive research. We implemented a standardized scientific data structure to fulfill the research requirements. The sustainable development of a biobank depends on a scientific, standardized, and service-oriented data governance approach, along with the efficient utilization of emerging technologies.

A hypercubic Mk model framework for capturing reversibility in disease, cancer, and evolutionary accumulation modelling.

Accumulation models, where a system progressively acquires binary features over time, are common in the study of cancer progression, evolutionary biology, and other fields. Many approaches have been developed to infer the accumulation pathways by which features (for example, mutations) are acquired over time. However, most of these approaches do not support reversibility: the loss of a feature once it has been acquired (for example, the clearing of a mutation from a tumour or population). Here, we demonstrate how the well-established Mk model from evolutionary biology, embedded on a hypercubic transition graph, can be used to infer the dynamics of accumulation processes, including the possibility of reversible transitions, from data which may be uncertain and cross-sectional, longitudinal, or phylogenetically/phylogenomically embedded. Positive and negative interactions between arbitrary sets of features (not limited to pairwise interactions) are supported. We demonstrate this approach with synthetic datasets and real data on bacterial drug resistance and cancer progression. While this implementation is limited in the number of features that can be considered, we discuss how this limitation may be relaxed to deal with larger systems. The code implementing this setup in R is freely available at https://github.com/StochasticBiology/hypermk. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

The functional role of the task-irrelevant stimulus feature in the congruency sequence effect.

Humans have to deal with conflicting information. This is studied in conflict tasks such as the Simon task or the flanker task. For example, participants respond with the left or right hand to the color of a stimulus (task-relevant stimulus feature) which is presented in a left or right position (irrelevant feature) in the Simon task or to a letter (relevant) which is flanked by same or different letters (irrelevant) in the flanker task. In incongruent trials, in which relevant and irrelevant stimulus features require different responses, reaction time is longer and errors are more frequent. This congruency effect is reduced after incongruent trials, dubbed congruency sequence effect (CSE). Here, we show that with temporally separated presentations of relevant and irrelevant stimulus features in the Simon task the CSE is strong with leading irrelevant feature, but declines with leading relevant feature. For the flanker task, this modulation of the CSE was unreliable. By means of an extended leaky, competing accumulator model, we contrasted two mechanisms of the CSE for the Simon task: gating of the irrelevant stimulus information and re-mapping of the stimulus positions to response positions after incongruent trials. The gating model failed to account for some aspects of the observed data which could be simulated by the re-mapping model. For the flanker task, there was not only a CSE, but also overall longer reaction times after incongruent trials. This required an extension of the re-mapping model in terms of higher response thresholds after incongruent than after congruent trials. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Investigating the geography of thought across 11 countries: Cross-cultural differences in analytic and holistic cognitive styles using simple perceptual tasks and reaction time modeling.

This article investigates cross-cultural differences in analytic/holistic cognitive styles among participants from 11 countries: Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Ghana, Philippines, Slovakia, Taiwan, and Türkiye. Using a preregistered design, 993 university students were assessed with three perceptual tasks based on Navon's hierarchical figures and Gottschaldt's embedded figures. Analytic and holistic cognitive styles were estimated using reaction time modeling, specifically a Bayesian four-parameter shifted Wald distribution and a hierarchical linear ballistic accumulator model. The results revealed notable cross-cultural variations in cognitive styles, though these differences did not align with predictions from analytic/holistic cognitive style theory. Countries traditionally characterized as more holistic or analytic did not consistently show the expected cognitive style patterns. Multilevel modeling examined the influence of country-level variables, such as Hofstede's and Schwartz's cultural dimensions. While some dimensions, like individualism and long-term orientation, were associated with both analytic and holistic thinking, many cultural predictors had no significant impact on cognitive styles. Additionally, exploratory latent profile analysis assessed cognitive metastyles, such as flexibility and rigidity, but the findings do not support the presence of a rigidity metastyle. No profiles exhibited a strong preference for one cognitive dimension while showing a low preference for the other. These findings challenge the straightforward application of analytic/holistic theory across diverse cultural contexts and suggest a need for reevaluation of its generalizability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A spiking neural model of decision making and the speed-accuracy trade-off.

The speed-accuracy trade-off (SAT) is the tendency for fast decisions to come at the expense of accurate performance. Evidence accumulation models such as the drift diffusion model can reproduce a variety of behavioral data related to the SAT, and their parameters have been linked to neural activities in the brain. However, our understanding of how biological neural networks realize the associated cognitive operations remains incomplete, limiting our ability to unify neurological and computational accounts of the SAT. We address this gap by developing and analyzing a biologically plausible spiking neural network that extends the drift diffusion approach. We apply our model to both perceptual and nonperceptual tasks, investigate several contextual manipulations, and validate model performance using neural and behavioral data. Behaviorally, we find that our model (a) reproduces individual response time distributions; (b) generalizes across experimental contexts, including the number of choice alternatives, speed- or accuracy-emphasis, and task difficulty; and (c) predicts accuracy data, despite being fit only to response time data. Neurally, we show that our model (a) recreates observed patterns of spiking neural activity and (b) captures age-related deficits that are consistent with the behavioral data. More broadly, our model exhibits the SAT across a variety of tasks and contexts and explains how individual differences in speed and accuracy arise from synaptic weights within a spiking neural network. Our work showcases a method for translating mathematical models into functional neural networks and demonstrates that simulating such networks permits analyses and predictions that are outside the scope of purely mathematical models. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Latitudinal trends in the biomass allocation of invasive Spartina alterniflora: implications for salt marsh adaptation to climate warming

IntroductionBiomass allocation between aboveground and belowground pools in salt marshes has distinct effects on salt marsh stability, and is influenced by climate warming and reproductive investment. However, the lack of studies on the effect of latitudinal variations in reproductive investments and biomass allocation in salt marshes makes it difficult to explore mechanisms of marsh plant growth to climate warming across geographical scales. The rapid invasion of the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora into lower latitude marshes around the world provides an opportunity to investigate biomass allocation and reproductive investment across latitudes, helping to understand how salt marshes respond to climate warming.MethodsTherefore, we investigated aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), total biomass, sexual reproduction traits (inflorescence biomass, flowering culm), asexual reproduction traits (shoot number, rhizome biomass), among S. alterniflora at 19 sites in 10 geographic locations over a latitudinal gradient of ~2000 km from Dongying (37.82°N, high latitude) to Danzhou (19.73°N, low latitude) in China.ResultsThe AGB, BGB, and total biomass displayed hump shaped relationships with latitude, but the BGB: AGB ratio decreased with increasing latitude (i.e. increased linearly with temperature). Interestingly, we found that the BGB: AGB ratio negatively correlated with sexual reproductive investment, but positively correlated with asexual reproductive investment.DiscussionWhile conceptual and numerical models of salt marsh stability and carbon accumulation often infer responses based on aboveground biomass, our study suggests that salt marsh responses to climate warming based on aboveground biomass and static allocations may bias estimates of future salt marsh production driven by climate warming.

Value construction through sequential sampling explains serial dependencies in decision making.

Deciding between a pair of familiar items is thought to rely on a comparison of their subjective values. When the values are similar, decisions take longer, and the choice may be inconsistent with stated value. These regularities are thought to be explained by the same mechanism of noisy evidence accumulation that leads to perceptual errors under conditions of low signal to noise. However, unlike perceptual decisions, subjective values may vary with internal states (e.g. desires, priorities) that change over time. This raises the possibility that the apparent stochasticity of choice reflects changes in value rather than mere noise. We hypothesized that these changes would manifest in serial dependencies across decision sequences. We analyzed data from a task in which participants chose between snack items. We developed an algorithm, Reval, that revealed significant fluctuations of the subjective values of items within an experimental session. The dynamic values predicted choices and response times more accurately than stated values. The dynamic values also furnished a superior account of the BOLD signal in ventromedial prefrontal cortex. A novel bounded-evidence accumulation model with temporally correlated evidence samples supports the idea that revaluation reflects the dynamic construction of subjective value during deliberation, which in turn influences subsequent decisions.

Value construction through sequential sampling explains serial dependencies in decision making

Deciding between a pair of familiar items is thought to rely on a comparison of their subjective values. When the values are similar, decisions take longer, and the choice may be inconsistent with stated value. These regularities are thought to be explained by the same mechanism of noisy evidence accumulation that leads to perceptual errors under conditions of low signal to noise. However, unlike perceptual decisions, subjective values may vary with internal states (e.g. desires, priorities) that change over time. This raises the possibility that the apparent stochasticity of choice reflects changes in value rather than mere noise. We hypothesized that these changes would manifest in serial dependencies across decision sequences. We analyzed data from a task in which participants chose between snack items. We developed an algorithm, Reval, that revealed significant fluctuations of the subjective values of items within an experimental session. The dynamic values predicted choices and response times more accurately than stated values. The dynamic values also furnished a superior account of the BOLD signal in ventromedial prefrontal cortex. A novel bounded-evidence accumulation model with temporally correlated evidence samples supports the idea that revaluation reflects the dynamic construction of subjective value during deliberation, which in turn influences subsequent decisions.