When should we use one-tailed hypothesis testing?

Examining parental stress and its link to hair cortisol and DHEA levels in kindergartners

BACKGROUND

Parental work-family conflict (WFC) and parental household income have been linked to negative outcomes for children. So far, no study has associated these two stressors with the hair concentration of cortisol (HCC) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in kindergarteners as a measurement of their objective stress.

METHODS AND MEASURES

44 children (40.91% female) with a mean age of 5.16 years and their parents participated in this cross-sectional study. Children's cortisol and DHEA measurements reflected the hormones produced over the past two months. Parents filled out questionnaires concerning their WFC and parenting behavior.

RESULTS

Higher maternal WFC and a lower parental net household income were negatively associated with the DHEA and positively with HCC/DHEA ratio of their children. No significant associations were found between HCC and any included variables. Paternal WFC had no impact on the stress hormones and negatively affected parenting behavior of both parents. Levels of stress hormones were not correlated with parenting behavior.

CONCLUSION

The present results indicated a higher stress exposure in children of mothers with a higher WFC and lower net household income. Conceivably, this may have led to an accumulation of allostatic load. Potential influences of demographic variables on the children's hormones are discussed.

Can scent-detection dogs detect the stress associated with trauma cue exposure in people with trauma histories? A proof-of-concept study

Introduction

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an impairing mental health condition with high prevalence among military and general populations alike. PTSD service dogs are a complementary and alternative intervention needing scientific validation. We investigated whether dogs can detect putative stress-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath of people with trauma histories (54% with PTSD) exposed to personalized trauma cues.

Methods

Breath samples were collected from 26 humans over 40 experimental sessions during a calm (control breath sample) and stressed state induced by trauma cue exposure (target breath sample). Two scent detection canines were presented with the samples in a two alternative forced choice (2AFC) discrimination and yes/no detection task. The 2AFC task assessed the dogs' ability to discriminate between the two states within the breath samples of one individual. The detection task determined their ability to generalize the target odour across different individuals and different stressful events of one individual. Signal Detection Theory was applied to assess dogs' sensitivity, specificity, precision, and response bias.

Results

The dogs performed at ∼90% accuracy across all sample sets in the discrimination experiment, and at 74% and 81% accuracy, respectively, in the detection experiment. Further analysis of dog olfactory performance in relation to human donor self-reported emotional responses to trauma cue exposure suggested the dogs may have been detecting distinct endocrine stress markers. One dog's performance correlated with the human donors' self-reported fear responses and the other dog's performance correlated with the human donors' self-reported shame responses. Based on these correlations between dog performance and donor self-report measures, we speculate that the VOCs each dog was detecting likely originated from the sympathetico-adreno-medullary axis (SAM; adrenaline, noradrenaline) in the case of the first dog and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA; glucocorticoids) in the case of the second dog.

Conclusion

Our proof-of-concept study is the first to demonstrate that some dogs can detect putative VOCs emitted by people with trauma histories when experiencing distress theoretically associated with the intrusion and arousal/reactivity symptoms of PTSD. Results have potential to improve the effectiveness and training protocol of PTSD service dogs with a focus on enhancing their alert function.

Small apes adjust rhythms to facilitate song coordination

Song coordination is a universal characteristic of human music. Many animals also produce well-coordinated duets or choruses that resemble human music. However, the mechanism and evolution of song coordination have only recently been studied in animals. Here, we studied the mechanism of song coordination in three closely related species of wild Nomascus gibbons that live in polygynous groups. In each species, song bouts were dominated by male solo sequences (referred to hereafter as male sequence), and females contributed stereotyped great calls to coordinate with males. Considering the function of rhythm in facilitating song coordination in human music and animal vocalizations, we predicted that adult males adjust their song rhythm to facilitate song coordination with females. In support of this prediction, we found that adult males produced significantly more isochronous rhythms with a faster tempo in male sequences that were followed by successful female great calls (a complete sequence with "introductory" and "wa" notes). The difference in isochrony and tempos between successful great call sequences and male sequences was smaller in N. concolor compared with the other two species, which may make it difficult for females to predict a male's precise temporal pattern. Consequently, adult females of N. concolor produced more failed great call (an incomplete sequence with only introductory notes) sequences. We propose that the high degree of rhythm change functions as an unambiguous signal that can be easily perceived by receivers. In this regard, gibbon vocalizations offer an instructive model to understand the origins and evolution of human music.

Quantity misperception by hymenopteran insects observing the solitaire illusion

Visual illusions are errors in signal perception and inform us about the visual and cognitive processes of different animals. Invertebrates are relatively less studied for their illusionary perception, despite the insight that comparative data provides on the evolution of common perceptual mechanisms. The Solitaire Illusion is a numerosity illusion where a viewer typically misperceives the relative quantities of two items of different colors consisting of identical quantity, with more centrally clustered items appearing more numerous. We trained European honeybees (Apis mellifera) and European wasps (Vespula vulgaris) to select stimuli containing a higher quantity of yellow dots in arrays of blue and yellow dots and then presented them with the Solitaire Illusion. Insects learnt to discriminate between dot quantities and showed evidence of perceiving the Solitaire Illusion. Further work should determine whether the illusion is caused by numerical cues only or by both quantity and non-numerical spatial cues.

Noise constrains heterospecific eavesdropping more than conspecific reception of alarm calls

Many vertebrates eavesdrop on alarm calls of other species, as well as responding to their own species' calls, but eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm calls might be harder than conspecific reception when environmental conditions make perception or recognition of calls difficult. This could occur because individuals lack hearing specializations for heterospecific calls, have less familiarity with them, or require more details of call structure to identify calls they have learned to recognize. We used a field playback experiment to provide a direct test of whether noise, as an environmental perceptual challenge, reduces response to heterospecific compared to conspecific alarm calls. We broadcast superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) and white-browed scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis) flee alarm calls to each species with or without simultaneous broadcast of ambient noise. Using two species allows isolation of the challenge of heterospecific eavesdropping independently of any effect of call structure on acoustic masking. As predicted, birds were less likely to flee to heterospecific than conspecific alarm calls during noise. We conclude that eavesdropping was harder in noise, which means that noise could disrupt information on danger in natural eavesdropping webs and so compromise survival. This is particularly significant in a world with increasing anthropogenic noise.

A single-cell atlas of the aging mouse ovary

Ovarian aging leads to diminished fertility, dysregulated endocrine signaling and increased chronic disease burden. These effects begin to emerge long before follicular exhaustion. Female humans experience a sharp decline in fertility around 35 years of age, which corresponds to declines in oocyte quality. Despite a growing body of work, the field lacks a comprehensive cellular map of the transcriptomic changes in the aging mouse ovary to identify early drivers of ovarian decline. To fill this gap we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on ovarian tissue from young (3-month-old) and reproductively aged (9-month-old) mice. Our analysis revealed a doubling of immune cells in the aged ovary, with lymphocyte proportions increasing the most, which was confirmed by flow cytometry. We also found an age-related downregulation of collagenase pathways in stromal fibroblasts, which corresponds to rises in ovarian fibrosis. Follicular cells displayed stress-response, immunogenic and fibrotic signaling pathway inductions with aging. This report provides critical insights into mechanisms responsible for ovarian aging phenotypes. The data can be explored interactively via a Shiny-based web application.

Effects of provisioning on the activity budget and foraging strategies of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) in the Baima Snow Mountain Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China

Provisioning can significantly affect the ranging patterns, foraging strategies, and time budget of wild primates. In this study, we document for the first time, the effects of provisioning on the activity budget and foraging effort in an Asian colobine. Over 3-years, we used an instantaneous scanning method at 10-min intervals to collect data on the activity budget of a semiprovisioned breeding band (SPB) of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) (42-70 individuals) at Xiangguqing (Tacheng), Yunnan, China. We then compared the effects of provisioning in our study band with published data on a sympatric wild nonprovisioned breeding band (NPB) of R. bieti (ca. 360 monkeys) at the same field site. The SPB spent 25.6% of their daytime feeding, 17.1% traveling, 46.9% resting, and 10.3% socializing. In comparison, the NPB devoted more time to feeding (34.9%) and socializing (14.1%), less time to resting (31.3%), and was characterized by a greater foraging effort (1.74 versus 0.96, foraging effort = (feeding + traveling)/resting; see Methods). There was no difference between bands in the proportion of their activity budget devoted to traveling (15.7% vs. 17.1%). In addition, the SPB exhibited a more consistent activity budget and foraging effort across all seasons of the year compared to the NPB. These findings suggest that the distribution, availability, and productivity of naturally occurring feeding sites is a major determinant of the behavioral strategies and activity budget of R. bieti. Finally, a comparison of our results with data on six nonprovisioned R. bieti bands indicates that caution must be raised in meta-analyses or intraspecific comparisons of primate behavioral ecology that contain data generated from both provisioned and nonprovisioned groups.

Non-targeted metabolomics aids in sex pheromone identification: a proof-of-concept study with the triangulate cobweb spider, Steatoda triangulosa

Targeted metabolomics has been widely used in pheromone research but may miss pheromone components in study organisms that produce pheromones in trace amount and/or lack bio-detectors (e.g., antennae) to readily locate them in complex samples. Here, we used non-targeted metabolomics-together with high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), gas chromatography-MS, and behavioral bioassays-to unravel the sex pheromone of the triangulate cobweb spider, Steatoda triangulosa. A ternary blend of three contact pheromone components [N-4-methylvaleroyl-O-isobutyroyl-L-serine (5), N-3-methylbutyryl-O-isobutyroyl-L-serine (11), and N-3-methylbutyryl-O-butyroyl-L-serine (12)] elicited courtship by S. triangulosa males as effectively as female web extract. Hydrolysis of 5, 11 and 12 at the ester bond gave rise to two mate-attractant pheromone components [butyric acid (7) and isobutyric acid (8)] which attracted S. triangulosa males as effectively as female webs. Pheromone components 11 and 12 are reported in spiders for the first time, and were discovered only through the use of non-targeted metabolomics and GC-MS. All compounds resemble pheromone components previously identified in widow spiders. Our study provides impetus to apply non-targeted metabolomics for pheromone research in a wide range of animal taxa.

The welfare problems of wide-ranging Carnivora reflect naturally itinerant lifestyles

Carnivora with naturally small home ranges readily adjust to the evolutionarily new environment of captivity, but wider-ranging species seem prone to stress. Understanding why would advance both collection planning and enclosure design. We therefore investigated which aspects of wide-ranging lifestyles are key. We identified eight correlates of home range size (reflecting energetic needs, movement, intra-specific interactions, and itinerant lifestyles). We systematically assessed whether these correlates predict welfare better than range size per se, using data on captive juvenile mortality (from 13 518 individuals across 42 species) and stereotypic route-tracing (456 individuals, 27 species). Naturally itinerant lifestyles (quantified via ratios of daily to annual travel distances) were found to confer risk, predicting greater captive juvenile losses and stereotypic time-budgets. This finding advances our understanding of the evolutionary basis for welfare problems in captive Carnivora, helping explain why naturally sedentary species (e.g. American mink) may breed even in intensive farm conditions, while others (e.g. polar bears, giant pandas) can struggle even in modern zoos and conservation breeding centres. Naturally itinerant lifestyles involve decision-making, and strategic shifts between locations, suggesting that supplying more novelty, cognitive challenge and/or opportunities for control will be effective ways to meet these animals' welfare needs in captivity.

Semantic priming from McGurk words: Priming depends on perception

The McGurk effect is an illusion in which visible articulations alter the perception of auditory speech (e.g., video 'da' dubbed with audio 'ba' may be heard as 'da'). To test the timing of the multisensory processes that underlie the McGurk effect, Ostrand et al. Cognition 151, 96-107, 2016 used incongruent stimuli, such as auditory 'bait' + visual 'date' as primes in a lexical decision task. These authors reported that the auditory word, but not the perceived (visual) word, induced semantic priming, suggesting that the auditory signal alone can provide the input for lexical access, before multisensory integration is complete. Here, we conceptually replicate the design of Ostrand et al. (2016), using different stimuli chosen to optimize the success of the McGurk illusion. In contrast to the results of Ostrand et al. (2016), we find that the perceived (i.e., visual) word of the incongruent stimulus usually induced semantic priming. We further find that the strength of this priming corresponded to the magnitude of the McGurk effect for each word combination. These findings suggest, in contrast to the findings of Ostrand et al. (2016), that lexical access makes use of integrated multisensory information which is perceived by the listener. These findings further suggest that which unimodal signal of a multisensory stimulus is used in lexical access is dependent on the perception of that stimulus.

Nanoengineering the Redispersibility of Cellulose Nanocrystals

Enhancing the redispersibility of dried colloidal particles to yield stable dispersions after rehydration is a persistent challenge in the sustainable processing of nanocelluloses due to hydrogen bonding-induced irreversible aggregation. Programming nanocelluloses, such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), with moieties that enable colloidal repulsion after rehydration may address this challenge and contribute to the United Nation (UN)'s sustainable development goals (SDGs) of urban development and sustainable living (SDGs 9 and 11) and cradle-to-cradle processing (SDG 12). We hypothesize that imparting electrosteric repulsion to CNC via polyanionic disordered cellulose chains (hairs) protruding from each end may render the dried nanocrystals highly redispersible in aqueous media. Anionic hairy CNC (AHCNC), that is, CNC decorated with dicarboxylated cellulose (DCC) chains, were synthesized by the preferential, successive periodate/chlorite oxidation of the disordered regions of cellulose fibrils, bearing >5 mmol of carboxylate groups per gram. The colloidal properties of AHCNC were compared with those of sulfate half-ester group-functionalized CNC and TEMPO-oxidized CNC (TOCNC) after redispersion in aqueous media, followed by comparing the redispersibility of AHCNC and CNC in aqueous solutions containing monovalent or divalent cations and at varying pH. The AHCNC had remarkable aqueous redispersibility even at high ionic strengths and extreme pH. The unique redispersibility mechanism of dried AHCNC relies on the synergistic steric and electrostatic repulsion forces, recuperated upon the rehydration of DCC. This work may open new opportunities for more sustainable and cost-effective handling and processing of nanocelluloses.

Origin, structure and functional transition of sex pheromone components in a false widow spider

Female web-building spiders disseminate pheromone from their webs that attracts mate-seeking males and deposit contact pheromone on their webs that induces courtship by males upon arrival. The source of contact and mate attractant pheromone components, and the potential ability of females to adjust their web’s attractiveness, have remained elusive. Here, we report three new contact pheromone components produced by female false black widow spiders, Steatoda grossa: N-4-methylvaleroyl-O-butyroyl-L-serine, N-4-methylvaleroyl-O-isobutyroyl-L-serine and N-4-methylvaleroyl-O-hexanoyl-L-serine. The compounds originate from the posterior aggregate silk gland, induce courtship by males, and web pH-dependently hydrolyse at the carboxylic-ester bond, giving rise to three corresponding carboxylic acids that attract males. A carboxyl ester hydrolase (CEH) is present on webs and likely mediates the functional transition of contact sex pheromone components to the carboxylic acid mate attractant pheromone components. As CEH activity is pH-dependent, and female spiders can manipulate their silk’s pH, they might also actively adjust their webs’ attractiveness.

The Development of Eletriptan Hydrobromide Immediate Release Buccal Films Using Central Composite Rotatable Design: An In Vivo and In Vitro Approach

The objective is to develop immediate release buccal films of Eletriptan Hydrobromide (EHBR) using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) E5. The buccal films have the ability to disintegrate rapidly and provide both systemic and local effects. The solvent casting method was employed to prepare the films and the central composite rotatable design (CCRD) model was used for film optimization. All the formulated films were characterized for physicochemical evaluation (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo drug release. The fabricated films were transparent, colorless, and evenly distributed. The FTIR spectra showed no chemical interaction between the drug and excipients. In in-vitro analysis, the film has the highest% drug release (102.61 ± 1.13), while a maximum of 92.87 ± 0.87% drug was diffused across the cellulose membrane having a pore size of 0.45 µm. In the ex-vivo study, drug diffusion across the goat mucosa was performed and 80.9% of the drug was released in 30 min. In-vivo results depict a mean half-life (t½) of 4.54 ± 0.18 h and a Cmax of 128 ± 0.87 (ng/mL); Tmax was achieved in 1 h. Furthermore, instability and histopathological studies buccal films were proven to be safe and act as an effective dosage form. In a nutshell, optimized and safe instant release EHBR buccal films were prepared that have the tendency to provide effect effectively.

Financial incentives facilitate stronger neural computation of prosocial decisions in lower empathic adult females

Financial incentives are commonly used to motivate behaviors. However, there is also evidence that incentives can impede the behavior they are supposed to foster, for example, documented by a decrease in blood donations if a financial incentive is offered. Based on these findings, previous studies assumed that prosocial motivation is shaped by incentives. However, so far, there is no direct evidence showing an interaction between financial incentives and a specific prosocial motive. Combining drift-diffusion modeling and fMRI, we investigated the effect of financial incentives on empathy, i.e., one of the key motives driving prosocial decisions. In the empathy-alone condition, participants made prosocial decisions based on empathy. In the empathy-bonus condition, they were offered a financial bonus for prosocial decisions, in addition to empathy induction. On average, the bonus enhanced the information accumulation in empathy-based decisions. On the neural level, this enhancement was related to the anterior insula, the same region that also correlated with empathy ratings. Moreover, the effect of the financial incentive on anterior insula activation was stronger the lower a person scored on empathy. These findings show that financial incentives enhance prosocial motivation in the absence of empathy.

The status and stigma consequences of mental illness labels, deviant behavior, and fear

Despite the breadth of research on mental illness, there remains some ambivalence about the distinct and combined effects of mental illness labels and deviant behavior for stigma and status. To examine the effects of mental illness labels and deviant behavior on stigma and status, we use experimental methods. Because fear is tightly linked with understandings of mental illness, we also consider the role of fear in these processes. We find that absent behavioral descriptions, mental illness labels do not affect status; however, deviant behavior that is and is not labeled as a mental illness decreases status. Neither deviant behavior nor mental illness labels independently affect stigma; however, compared to unlabeled deviant behavior, deviant behavior that is labeled as a mental illness either increases or decreases stigma for fear-inducing and fear-neutral behavior, respectively. In summary, the effects of mental illness labels appear to depend on behavioral connotations, including fear.

Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (TREM2) R47H Variant Causes Distinct Age- and Sex-Dependent Musculoskeletal Alterations in Mice

Previous studies proposed the Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (TREM2), a receptor expressed in myeloid cells including microglia in brain and osteoclasts in bone, as a link between brain and bone disease. The TREM2 R47H variant is a known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. To investigate whether altered TREM2 signaling could contribute to bone and skeletal muscle loss, independently of central nervous system defects, we used mice globally hemizygous for the TREM2 R47H variant (TREM2R47H/+ ), which do not exhibit AD pathology, and wild-type (WT) littermate control mice. Dxa/Piximus showed bone loss in female TREM2R47H/+ animals between 4 and 13 months of age and reduced cancellous and cortical bone (measured by micro-computed tomography [μCT]) at 13 months, which stalled out by 20 months of age. In addition, they exhibited decreased femoral biomechanical properties measured by three-point bending at 13 months of age, but not at 4 or 20 months. Male TREM2R47H/+ animals had decreased trabecular bone geometry but increased ultimate strain and failure force at 20 months of age versus WT. Only male TREM2R47H/+ osteoclasts differentiated more ex vivo after 7 days with receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) compared to WT littermates. Yet, estrogen receptor alpha expression was higher in female and male TREM2R47H/+ osteoclasts compared to WT mice. However, female TREM2R47H/+ osteoclasts expressed less complement 3 (C3), an estrogen responsive element, and increased protein kinase B (Akt) activity, suggesting altered estrogen signaling in TREM2R47H/+ cells. Despite lower bone volume/strength in TREM2R47H/+ mice, skeletal muscle function measured by plantar flexion and muscle contractility was increased in 13-month-old female mutant mice. Overall, these data demonstrate that an AD-associated TREM2 variant can alter bone and skeletal muscle strength in a sex-dimorphic manner independent of central neuropathology, potentially mediated through changes in osteoclastic intracellular signaling. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Different Levels of Context-Specificity of Teacher Self-Efficacy and Their Relations With Teaching Quality

On the basis of Bandura’s social cognitive theory, researchers often assume that a teachers’ self-efficacy (TSE) will have a positive effect on teaching quality. However, the available empirical evidence is mixed. Building on previous research into TSE, we examined whether assessing class-/task-specific TSE gives a more accurate indication of the associations between TSE assessments and student-rated teaching quality. The analyses were based on the English sample of the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) Video Study. Mathematics teachers (N = 86) rated their self-efficacy beliefs using generalized task-specific TSE items and class-/task-specific TSE items. Their students (N = 1,930) rated the quality of teaching in their math class. Multilevel regression analyses revealed stronger associations between student-rated teaching quality and class-/task-specific TSE than generalized task-specific TSE. We discuss possible reasons for these results and outline the potential benefits of using class-specific assessments for future TSE research.

An empirically based power primer for laboratory aggression research

Recent reviews suggest that, like much of the psychological literature, research studies using laboratory aggression paradigms tend to be underpowered to reliably locate commonly observed effect sizes (e.g., r = ~.10-.20, Cohen's d = ~0.20-0.40). In an effort to counter this trend, we provide a "power primer" that laboratory aggression researchers can use as a resource when planning studies using this methodology. Using simulation-based power analyses and effect size estimates derived from recent literature reviews, we provide sample size recommendations based on type of research question (e.g., main effect vs. two-way vs. three-way interactions) and correlations among predictors. Results highlight the large number of participants that must be recruited to reach acceptable (~80%) power, especially for tests of interactions where the recommended sample sizes far exceed those typically employed in this literature. These discrepancies are so substantial that we urge laboratory aggression researchers to consider a moratorium on tests of three-way interactions. Although our results use estimates from the laboratory aggression literature, we believe they are generalizable to other lines of research using behavioral tasks, as well as psychological science more broadly. We close by offering a series of best practice recommendations and reiterating long-standing calls for attention to statistical power as a basic element of study planning.

Mirroring Communicative Actions: Contextual Modulation of Mu Rhythm Desynchronization in Response to the 'Back-Of-Hand' Action in 9-Month-Old Infants

This study measured mu rhythm desynchronization (MRD), while nine-month-old infants observed an agent extend her arm and hand, palm up ('back-of-hand action') either in social (object and recipient present), individual (object present, recipient absent), or social object-absent (recipient present, object absent) situations across two experiments. In addition, infants' MRD was measured as they reached for objects. Results revealed significant mu desynchronization in the right centro-parietal region selectively for the social group, indicating that infants processed the back-of-hand action as an object-directed request. Findings suggest to extend the action reconstruction account to object-directed communicative actions as well.

Effects of Dietary Shifts on Ontogenetic Development of Metabolic Rates in Age 0 Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)

AbstractIn many fish species, ontogenetic dietary shifts cause changes in both quantitative and qualitative intake of energy, and these transitions can act as significant bottlenecks in survival within a given year class. In the present study, we estimated routine metabolic rate (RMR) and forced maximum metabolic rate (FMR) in age 0 lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) on a weekly basis from 6 to 76 days posthatch (dph) within the same cohort of fish. We were particularly interested in the period of dietary transition from yolk to exogenous feeding between 6 and 17 dph and as the fish transitioned from an artemia-based diet to a predominantly bloodworm diet between 49 and 67 dph. Measurement of growth rate and energy density throughout indicated that there was a brief period of growth arrest during the transition from artemia to bloodworm. The highest mass-specific RMR (mg O₂ kg^-1 h^-1) recorded throughout the first 76 d of development occurred during the yolk sac phase and during transition from artemia to bloodworm. Similarly, diet transition from artemia to bloodworm-when growth arrest was observed-increased scaled RMR (i.e., mg O₂ kg^-0.89 h^-1), and it did not significantly differ from scaled FMR. Log-log relationships between non-mass-specific RMR or FMR (i.e., mg O₂ h^-1) and body mass significantly changed as the growing fish adapted to the nutritional differences of their primary diet. We demonstrate that dietary change during early ontogeny has consequences for growth that may reflect altered metabolic performance. Results have implications for understanding cohort and population dynamics during early life and effective management for conservation fish hatcheries.

Cue reduction or general cue masking do not underlie generalized chemical camouflage in pirate perch

Avoiding detection is perhaps the ultimate weapon for both predators and prey. Chemosensory detection of predators via waterborne or airborne cues (predator-released kairomones) is a key prey adaptation in aquatic ecosystems. Pirate perch, Aphredoderus sayanus, a largely insectivorous mesopredatory fish, are considered to be chemically camouflaged because they are unavoided by all colonizing organisms tested, including treefrogs and aquatic insects, despite stronger predatory effects on target taxa than several avoided fish. To address the mechanism behind camouflage we used aquatic insect colonization as a bioassay to test 1) whether increasing pirate perch density/biomass leads to increased avoidance, and 2) whether pirate perch mask heterospecific fish kairomones. Insect abundances, species richness, and community structure showed no response to pirate perch density. Lastly, pirate perch did not mask the kairomones of heterospecific predatory fish. Results support the idea that fish kairomones are species-specific, and chemical camouflage is driven by a unique chemical signature that is either undetectable or has no negative associations for colonizers.

Motivation to move fast, motivation to wait and see: The association of prevention and promotion focus with clinicians' implementation of the JNC-7 hypertension treatment guidelines

Roughly half of the adults in the United States are diagnosed with hypertension (HTN). Unfortunately, less than one‐third have their condition under control. Clinicians generally have positive regard for the use of HTN guidelines to achieve HTN treatment goals; however, actual uptake remains low. Factors underpinning clinician variation in practice are poorly understood. To understand the relationship between clinicians’ personal motivation to complete goals and their uptake of the Joint National Commission's HTN guidelines. The authors used Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT, ie, prevention and promotion focus), an empirically supported motivational theory, as a guiding framework to examine the relationship. The authors hypothesized that clinicians with high prevention focus would report following guidelines more often and have shorter follow‐up visit intervals for patients with uncontrolled blood pressure. Clinicians (n  = 27) caring for adult patients diagnosed with HTN (n = 8605) in Federally Qualified Health Centers (n = 8). Clinicians’ prevention and promotion focus scores and the number of days between visits for their patients with uncontrolled systolic blood pressure (SBP) (≥ 140 mm Hg). Consistent with RFT, 60% of prevention focused clinicians reported they always followed the monthly visit guideline for the patients with uncontrolled blood pressure, compared with 38% of promotion focused clinicians (p = .254). The unadjusted probability of returning for a follow‐up visit within 30 days was greater among patients whose clinician was higher in prevention focus (p = .009), but there was no evidence at the 0.05 significance level in our adjusted model. These findings provide some limited evidence that RFT is a useful framework to understand clinician adherence to HTN treatment guidelines.

Comparing the Executive Function Ability of Autistic and Non-autistic Adolescents with a Manualised Battery of Neuropsychological Tasks

Performance on a single executive function (EF) task (e.g., a card sorting task) is often taken to represent ability on the underlying subcomponent of EF (e.g., set shifting) without accounting for the non-specific and non-executive skills employed to complete the task. This study used a manualised battery of EF tasks to derive individual task scores and latent EF scores. Seventy-nine adolescents aged between 11 and 19 years, including 37 autistic and 42 non-autistic participants, matched on cognitive ability, completed the battery. Autistic adolescents had moderate global EF difficulties and had significantly more difficulties on some individual tasks. However, the samples did not differ on any of the specific individual subcomponents of EF (fluency, cognitive control and working memory).

Host-generalist fungal pathogens of seedlings may maintain forest diversity via host-specific impacts and differential susceptibility among tree species

Host-specialized pathogens are credited with the maintenance of tropical forest diversity under the Janzen-Connell hypothesis. Yet, in diverse forests, selection may favor pathogens with broad host ranges, given their passive dispersal and the relative rarity of tree species. We surveyed the host associations of potential pathogens isolated from symptomatic seedlings in forests in Panama and used inoculations to assess the pathogenicity and host ranges of 27 fungal isolates, and differences among tree species in susceptibility. Thirty-one of the 33 nonsingleton operational taxonomic units (OTUs) isolated from seedlings are multi-host. All 31 multi-host OTUs exhibit low to moderate specialization, and we observed phylogenetically overdispersed host use for 19 OTUs. The pathogenicity of 10 isolates was experimentally confirmed; nine caused disease in seedlings in multiple families. However, the outcome of infection differs among tree species susceptible to a given multi-host pathogen. Furthermore, some tree species were seemingly resistant to all fungi tested, while others were susceptible to multiple fungi. Tree species adapted to environments with lower disease pressure were most likely to exhibit disease. Our results suggest that generalist pathogens contribute to the maintenance of local and regional forest diversity via host-specific impacts and the exclusion of disease-sensitive trees from disease-prone habitats.

Cancer blues? A promising judgment bias task indicates pessimism in nude mice with tumors

In humans, affective states can bias responses to ambiguous information: a phenomenon termed judgment bias (JB). Judgment biases have great potential for assessing affective states in animals, in both animal welfare and biomedical research. New animal JB tasks require construct validation, but for laboratory mice (Mus musculus), the most common research vertebrate, a valid JB task has proved elusive. Here (Experiment 1), we demonstrate construct validity for a novel mouse JB test: an olfactory Go/Go task in which subjects dig for high- or low-value food rewards. In C57BL/6 and Balb/c mice faced with ambiguous cues, latencies to dig were sensitive to high/low welfare housing: environmentally-enriched animals responded with relative 'optimism' through shorter latencies. Illustrating the versatility of this validated JB task across different fields of research, it further allowed us to test hypotheses about the mood-altering effects of cancer in male and female nude mice (Experiment 2). Males, although not females, treated ambiguous cues as intermediate; and males bearing subcutaneous lung adenocarcinomas also responded more pessimistically to these than did healthy controls. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of a valid mouse JB task, and the first demonstration of pessimism in tumor-bearing animals. This task still needs to be refined to improve its sensitivity. However, it has great potential for investigating mouse welfare, the links between affective state and disease, depression-like states in animals, and hypotheses regarding the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie affect-mediated biases in judgment.

Recommendations for Abnormal Behaviour Ethograms in Monkey Research

Laboratory monkey ethograms currently include subcategories of abnormal behaviours that are based on superficial morphological similarity. Yet, such ethograms may be misclassifying behaviour, with potential welfare implications as different abnormal behaviours are likely to have distinct risk factors and treatments. We therefore investigated the convergent validity of four hypothesized subcategories of abnormal behaviours ('motor', e.g., pacing; 'self-stimulation', e.g., self-sucking; 'postural', e.g., hanging; and 'self-abuse', e.g., self-biting). This hypothesis predicts positive relationships between the behaviours within each subcategory. Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) data on 19 abnormal behaviours were obtained from indoor-housed animals (n = 1183). Logistic regression models, controlling for sex, age, and the number of observations, revealed that only 1/6 'motor' behaviours positively predicted pacing, while 2/3 'self-abuse' behaviours positively predicted self-biting (one-tailed p-value < 0.05). Furthermore, 'self-stimulation' behaviours did not predict self-sucking, and none of the 'postural' behaviours predicted hanging. Thus, none of the subcategories fully met convergent validity. Subsequently, we created four new valid subcategories formed of comorbid behaviours. The first consisted of self-biting, self-hitting, self-injurious behaviour, floating limb, leg-lifting, and self-clasping. The second comprised twirling, bouncing, rocking, swinging, and hanging. The third comprised pacing and head-twisting, while the final subcategory consisted of flipping and eye-poking. Self-sucking, hair-plucking, threat-biting, and withdrawn remained as individual behaviours. We encourage laboratories to replicate the validation of these subcategories first, and for scientists working with other species to validate their ethograms before using them in welfare assessments.

Know your foe: synanthropic spiders are deterred by semiochemicals of European fire ants

Many ants prey on spiders, suggesting that web-building spiders may avoid micro-locations near ant colonies or frequented by foraging ants. Here we tested the hypothesis that ant-derived semiochemicals deter synanthropic spiders. To generate stimuli, we exposed filter paper for 12 h to workers of European fire ants, Myrmica rubra, black garden ants, Lasius niger, or western carpenter ants, Camponotus modoc, and then offered select urban spiders in three-chamber olfactometer bioassays a choice between ant-exposed filter paper and unexposed control filter paper. Semiochemical deposits of M. rubra, but not of L. niger or C. modoc, had a significant deterrent effect on subadults of the false black widow, Steatoda grossa, the black widow, Latrodectus hesperus, and the hobo spider, Eratigena agrestis, as well as a moderate (but statistically not significant) deterrent effect on the cross spider, Araneus diadematus. The deterrent effect caused by semiochemical deposits of M. rubra may be attributable to the aggressive nature and efficient foraging of M. rubra in its invaded North American range, exerting selection pressure on community members to recognize M. rubra semiochemicals and to avoid micro-locations occupied by M. rubra.

Predator-specific responses and emergent multi-predator effects on oviposition site choice in grey treefrogs, Hyla chrysoscelis

Predators affect prey through both consumptive and non-consumptive effects (NCEs), and prey typically face threats from multiple simultaneous predators. While different predators have a variety of NCEs on prey, little is known regarding effects of simultaneous multiple predators on demographic habitat selection. Demographic habitat selection is unique among NCEs, especially in discrete habitat patches; decisions directly affect both distribution and abundance of species across habitat patches, rather than simply abundance and performance within patches. Our goal was to determine strength of avoidance responses to multiple species/species combinations of predatory fish, and responses to predator richness. We assessed responses of ovipositing grey treefrogs (Hyla chrysoscelis) to three predatory fish species and substitutive combination of species. In single-species treatments, treefrogs avoided only one species, Notemigonus crysoleucas. All two-species combinations, and the three-species combination, were avoided, including the Fundulus chrysotus × Noturus phaeus combination, of which neither were avoided alone. This suggests emergent properties of multiple predators, with potential interactive effects among cues themselves or in the perception of cues by treefrogs. Our results indicate effects of multiple predators are not predictable based on individual effects, and illustrate the importance and complexity of effects of demographic habitat selection on distribution and abundance.

Vaginal Microbiome Composition in Early Pregnancy and Risk of Spontaneous Preterm and Early Term Birth Among African American Women

Objective

To evaluate the association between the early pregnancy vaginal microbiome and spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) and early term birth (sETB) among African American women.

Methods

Vaginal samples collected in early pregnancy (8-14 weeks' gestation) from 436 women enrolled in the Emory University African American Vaginal, Oral, and Gut Microbiome in Pregnancy Study underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V3-V4 region, taxonomic classification, and community state type (CST) assignment. We compared vaginal CST and abundance of taxa for women whose pregnancy ended in sPTB (N = 44) or sETB (N= 84) to those who delivered full term (N = 231).

Results

Nearly half of the women had a vaginal microbiome classified as CST IV (Diverse CST), while one-third had CST III (L. iners dominated) and just 16% had CST I, II, or V (non-iners Lactobacillus dominated). Compared to vaginal CST I, II, or V (non-iners Lactobacillus dominated), both CST III (L. iners dominated) and CST IV (Diverse) were associated with sPTB with an adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 4.1 (1.1, infinity) and 7.7 (2.2, infinity), respectively, in multivariate logistic regression. In contrast, no vaginal CST was associated with sETB. The linear decomposition model (LDM) based on amplicon sequence variant (ASV) relative abundance found a significant overall effect of the vaginal microbiome on sPTB (p=0.034) but not sETB (p=0.320), whereas the LDM based on presence/absence of ASV found no overall effect on sPTB (p=0.328) but a significant effect on sETB (p=0.030). In testing for ASV-specific effects, the LDM found that no ASV was significantly associated with sPTB considering either relative abundance or presence/absence data after controlling for multiple comparisons (FDR 10%), although in marginal analysis the relative abundance of Gardnerella vaginalis (p=0.011), non-iners Lactobacillus (p=0.016), and Mobiluncus curtisii (p=0.035) and the presence of Atopobium vaginae (p=0.049), BVAB2 (p=0.024), Dialister microaerophilis (p=0.011), and Prevotella amnii (p=0.044) were associated with sPTB. The LDM identified the higher abundance of 7 ASVs and the presence of 13 ASVs, all commonly residents of the gut, as associated with sETB at FDR < 10%.

Conclusions

In this cohort of African American women, an early pregnancy vaginal CST III or IV was associated with an increased risk of sPTB but not sETB. The relative abundance and presence of distinct taxa within the early pregnancy vaginal microbiome was associated with either sPTB or sETB.

EEG biomarker informed prescription of antidepressants in MDD: a feasibility trial

Using pre-treatment biomarkers to guide patients to the preferred antidepressant medication treatment could be a promising approach to enhance its current modest response and remission rates. This open-label prospective study assessed the feasibility of using such pre-treatment biomarkers, by using previously identified EEG features (paroxysmal activity; alpha peak frequency; frontal alpha asymmetry) to inform the clinician in selecting among three different antidepressants (ADs; escitalopram, sertraline, venlafaxine) as compared to Treatment As Usual (TAU). EEG data were obtained from 195 outpatients with major depressive disorder prior to eight weeks of AD treatment. Primary outcome measure was the percentage change between before and after treatment on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). We compared TAU and EEG-informed prescription through AN(C)OVAs. Recruitment started with patients receiving TAU to establish baseline effectiveness, after which we recruited patients receiving EEG-informed prescription. 108 patients received EEG-informed prescription and 87 patients received TAU. Clinicians and patients were satisfied with the protocol. Overall, 70 (65%) of the EEG-informed clinicians followed recommendations (compared to 52 (60%) following prescriptions in the TAU group), establishing feasibility. We here confirm that treatment allocation informed by EEG variables previously reported in correlational studies, was feasible.

Digital marketing, competitive advantage, marketing communication, social media, consumers

Nowadays, marketing in the digital environment is very important for every company. The reason is that internet use has more than doubled in the last decade, and this shift has significantly affected the way customers buy products and communicate with companies. Digital marketing is like any other type of marketing - it is a way to connect with current customers and influence potential customers. It is very important, especially when there are already many products and services on the market with really high competition. The main difference between online and traditional marketing is that the company can better connect with customers and influence them online. Based on the above mentioned, the paper's main aim is to analyze the application of digital marketing in the selected Slovak brand and its perception by Slovak consumers, propose recommendations for a more effective application of digital marketing in this company. It includes providing the theoretical background and analysis of digital marketing from the viewpoint of Slovak and foreign authors. The important secondary data source was scientific research, annual company reports, statistical databases, and published professional publications. To find out the perception of digital marketing from the perspective of Slovak consumers, a questionnaire survey was conducted. The questionnaire survey aimed to find out the opinions, attitudes, and satisfaction of consumers with the selected Slovak brand. To determine the sample size, the base file representing a number of people older than 18 was obtained from the demographic statistics of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. General scientific methods (i.e., excerption, description, comparative analysis, deduction, and induction) were used for data processing and mathematical and statistical methods to evaluate data from the survey using IBM SPSS Statistics software. To achieve the main goal of the paper, based on the theoretical background and survey results, research hypotheses were formulated and subsequently verified. Finally, based on the analysis and results of the questionnaire survey, benefits of digital marketing are highlighted, such as gaining a competitive advantage, increasing customer loyalty, and overall increasing brand awareness.

Behavioural performance improvement in visuomotor learning correlates with functional and microstructural brain changes

A better understanding of practice-induced functional and structural changes in our brains can help us design more effective learning environments that provide better outcomes. Although there is growing evidence from human neuroimaging that experience-dependent brain plasticity is expressed in measurable brain changes that are correlated with behavioural performance, the relationship between behavioural performance and structural or functional brain changes, and particularly the time course of these changes, is not well characterised. To understand the link between neuroplastic changes and behavioural performance, 15 healthy participants in this study followed a systematic eye movement training programme for 30 min daily at home, 5 days a week and for 6 consecutive weeks. Behavioural performance statistics and eye tracking data were captured throughout the training period to evaluate learning outcomes. Imaging data (DTI and fMRI) were collected at baseline, after two and six weeks of continuous training, and four weeks after training ended. Participants showed significant improvements in behavioural performance (faster task completion time, lower fixation number and fixation duration). Spatially overlapping reductions in microstructural diffusivity measures (MD, AD and RD) and functional activation increases (BOLD signal) were observed in two main areas: extrastriate visual cortex (V3d) and the frontal part of the cerebellum/Fastigial Oculomotor Region (FOR), which are both involved in visual processing. An increase of functional activity was also recorded in the right frontal eye field. Behavioural, structural and functional changes were correlated. Microstructural change is a better predictor for long-term behavioural change than functional activation is, whereas the latter is superior in predicting instantaneous performance. Structural and functional measures at week 2 of the training programme also predict performance at week 6 and 10, which suggests that imaging data at an early stage of training may be useful in optimising practice environments or rehabilitative training programmes.

Simulation-based training for increasing health service board members' effectiveness: a cluster randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

There is a paucity of research on how to improve the functioning of health service boards, despite their importance in influencing patient care. We examined the impact of simulation-based training on health service board members' perceptions of their skills in communicating during board meetings and of board meeting processes.

DESIGN

Prospective, cluster randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Health service boards in Victoria, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Twelve boards were randomised, and pre- and post-intervention data were collected and analysed from 57 members of these boards.

INTERVENTIONS

Boards were randomly allocated to either a treatment condition in which they received a 2-hour simulation-based training session or to a wait list control condition.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome variables were board members' perceptions regarding: (1) their skill and confidence in communicating during board meetings and (2) processes at their board meetings. Measures were collected in the intervention group before and 3 months post-training and compared with a wait list control group.

RESULTS

Skills and confidence in communicating during board meetings was higher after training (control marginal mean=5.11, intervention marginal mean=5.42, mean difference=0.31, 90% CI (-0.03 to 0.66), one-sided p=0.068, d=0.40). Board meeting processes were also improved after training (control marginal mean=4.97, intervention marginal mean=5.37, mean difference=0.40, 90% CI (0.14 to 0.65), one-sided p=0.005, d=0.54).

CONCLUSIONS

Simulation-based training appeared to improve board members' skills and confidence, and perceptions of board meeting processes. A larger scale trial is needed to examine possible impacts on patient outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework: http://osf.io/jaxt6/; Pre-results.

Leger J, Noren DP, Burek Huntington K, Rotstein DS, Gulland FMD, Ford JKB, Hanson MB, Lambourn DM, Huggins J, Delaney MA, Spaven L, Rowles T, Barre L, Cottrell P, Ellis G, Goldstein T, Terio K, Duffield D, Rice J, Gaydos JK. Pathology findings and correlation with body condition index in stranded killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the northeastern Pacific and Hawaii from 2004 to 2013

Understanding health and mortality in killer whales (Orcinus orca) is crucial for management and conservation actions. We reviewed pathology reports from 53 animals that stranded in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii between 2004 and 2013 and used data from 35 animals that stranded from 2001 to 2017 to assess association with morphometrics, blubber thickness, body condition and cause of death. Of the 53 cases, cause of death was determined for 22 (42%) and nine additional animals demonstrated findings of significant importance for population health. Causes of calf mortalities included infectious disease, nutritional, and congenital malformations. Mortalities in sub-adults were due to trauma, malnutrition, and infectious disease and in adults due to bacterial infections, emaciation and blunt force trauma. Death related to human interaction was found in every age class. Important incidental findings included concurrent sarcocystosis and toxoplasmosis, uterine leiomyoma, vertebral periosteal proliferations, cookiecutter shark (Isistius sp.) bite wounds, excessive tooth wear and an ingested fish hook. Blubber thickness increased significantly with body length (all p < 0.001). In contrast, there was no relationship between body length and an index of body condition (BCI). BCI was higher in animals that died from trauma. This study establishes a baseline for understanding health, nutritional status and causes of mortality in stranded killer whales. Given the evidence of direct human interactions on all age classes, in order to be most successful recovery efforts should address the threat of human interactions, especially for small endangered groups of killer whales that occur in close proximity to large human populations, interact with recreational and commercial fishers and transit established shipping lanes.

Individual alpha frequency proximity associated with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation outcome: An independent replication study from the ICON-DB consortium

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the current study was to attempt to replicate the finding that the individual alpha frequency (IAF) as well as the absolute difference between IAF and 10 Hz stimulation frequency (IAF-prox) is related to treatment outcome.

METHODS

Correlations were performed to investigate the relationship between IAF-prox and percentage symptom improvement in a sample of 153 patients with major depressive disorder treated with 10 Hz (N = 59) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) or 1 Hz (N = 94) to the right DLPFC repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS).

RESULTS

There was a significant negative correlation between IAF-prox and the percentage of symptom improvement only for the 10 Hz group. Curve fitting models revealed that there was a quadratic association between IAF and treatment response in the 10 Hz group, with a peak at 10 Hz IAF.

CONCLUSION

The main result of Corlier and colleagues was replicated, and the findings suggest that the distance between 10 Hz stimulation frequency and the IAF may influence clinical outcome in a non-linear manner.

SIGNIFICANCE

rTMS is often administered at a frequency of 10 Hz, which is the center of the EEG alpha frequency band. The results can make a significant contribution to optimizing the clinical application of rTMS.

Resting EEG theta connectivity and alpha power to predict repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation response in depression: A non-replication from the ICON-DB consortium

OBJECTIVE

Our previous research showed high predictive accuracy at differentiating responders from non-responders to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for depression using resting electroencephalography (EEG) and clinical data from baseline and one-week following treatment onset using a machine learning algorithm. In particular, theta (4-8 Hz) connectivity and alpha power (8-13 Hz) significantly differed between responders and non-responders. Independent replication is a necessary step before the application of potential predictors in clinical practice. This study attempted to replicate the results in an independent dataset.

METHODS

We submitted baseline resting EEG data from an independent sample of participants who underwent rTMS treatment for depression (N = 193, 128 responders) (Krepel et al., 2018) to the same between group comparisons as our previous research (Bailey et al., 2019).

RESULTS

Our previous results were not replicated, with no difference between responders and non-responders in theta connectivity (p = 0.250, Cohen's d = 0.1786) nor alpha power (p = 0.357, η_p² = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that baseline resting EEG theta connectivity or alpha power are unlikely to be generalisable predictors of response to rTMS treatment for depression.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results highlight the importance of independent replication, data sharing and using large datasets in the prediction of response research.

Green Marketing as a Part of the Socially Responsible Brand’s Communication from the Aspect of Generational Stratification

Green marketing is focused on a responsible approach to the environment, which is integrated into various areas of society. In order to build a successful and socially responsible brand, it strives to apply environmental principles that attract new customers or strengthen the loyalty of existing ones. To ensure success, it is necessary to focus on green marketing as a part of socially responsible brands’ communication to individual target groups, which can be divided according to the age of the consumer generations, which have similar requirements for product characteristics. The main aim of the paper is to determine the differences between generational cohorts of Slovak consumers in perception of green marketing as part of socially responsible brands’ communication. The most important sources for secondary data were scientific research, statistical databases, and published professional publications. In order to find out the perception of green marketing as a part of socially responsible brands’ communication from the aspect of generational stratification, a questionnaire survey was conducted among Slovak consumers. Based on the analysis and results of the questionnaire survey, benefits of green marketing as part of socially responsible brands’ communication focused on individual consumers’ generations are highlighted, such as gaining competitive advantage, increasing the brand value, improving brand loyalty, and increasing the attractiveness for investors.

Reporting animal research: Explanation and elaboration for the ARRIVE guidelines 2.0

Improving the reproducibility of biomedical research is a major challenge. Transparent and accurate reporting is vital to this process; it allows readers to assess the reliability of the findings and repeat or build upon the work of other researchers. The ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments) were developed in 2010 to help authors and journals identify the minimum information necessary to report in publications describing in vivo experiments. Despite widespread endorsement by the scientific community, the impact of ARRIVE on the transparency of reporting in animal research publications has been limited. We have revised the ARRIVE guidelines to update them and facilitate their use in practice. The revised guidelines are published alongside this paper. This explanation and elaboration document was developed as part of the revision. It provides further information about each of the 21 items in ARRIVE 2.0, including the rationale and supporting evidence for their inclusion in the guidelines, elaboration of details to report, and examples of good reporting from the published literature. This document also covers advice and best practice in the design and conduct of animal studies to support researchers in improving standards from the start of the experimental design process through to publication.

Offspring performance is well buffered against stress experienced by ancestors

Evolution should render individuals resistant to stress and particularly to stress experienced by ancestors. However, many studies report negative effects of stress experienced by one generation on the performance of subsequent generations. To assess the strength of such transgenerational effects we propose a strategy aimed at overcoming the problem of type I errors when testing multiple proxies of stress in multiple ancestors against multiple offspring performance traits, and we apply it to a large observational dataset on captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We combine clear one-tailed hypotheses with steps of validation, meta-analytic summary of mean effect sizes, and independent confirmatory testing. We find that drastic differences in early growth conditions (nestling body mass 8 days after hatching varied sevenfold between 1.7 and 12.4 g) had only moderate direct effects on adult morphology (95% confidence interval [CI]: r = 0.19-0.27) and small direct effects on adult fitness traits (r = 0.02-0.12). In contrast, we found no indirect effects of parental or grandparental condition (r = -0.017 to 0.002; meta-analytic summary of 138 effect sizes), and mixed evidence for small benefits of matching environments between parents and offspring, as the latter was not robust to confirmatory testing in independent datasets. This study shows that evolution has led to a remarkable robustness of zebra finches against undernourishment. Our study suggests that transgenerational effects are absent in this species, because CIs exclude all biologically relevant effect sizes.

Do Implicit and Explicit Racial Biases Influence Autism Identification and Stigma? An Implicit Association Test Study

Are implicit and explicit biases related to ASD identification and/or stigma? College students (N = 493) completed two IATs assessing implicit stigma and racial biases. They evaluated vignettes depicting a child with ASD or conduct disorder (CD) paired with a photo of a Black or White child. CD was more implicitly and explicitly stigmatized than ASD. Accurately identifying ASD was associated with reduced explicit stigma; identifying CD led to more stigma. Participants who identified as White implicitly associated the White child with ASD and the Black child with CD. A trend in the reverse direction was observed among Black participants. Implicit and explicit biases were unrelated. Findings highlight a need for trainings to ameliorate biases favoring one's in-group.

Insights into the neutral and adaptive processes shaping the spatial distribution of genomic variation in the economically important Moroccan locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus)

Understanding the processes that shape neutral and adaptive genomic variation is a fundamental step to determine the demographic and evolutionary dynamics of pest species. Here, we use genomic data obtained via restriction site-associated DNA sequencing to investigate the genetic structure of Moroccan locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus) populations from the westernmost portion of the species distribution (Iberian Peninsula and Canary Islands), infer demographic trends, and determine the role of neutral versus selective processes in shaping spatial patterns of genomic variation in this pest species of great economic importance. Our analyses showed that Iberian populations are characterized by high gene flow, whereas the highly isolated Canarian populations have experienced strong genetic drift and loss of genetic diversity. Historical demographic reconstructions revealed that all populations have passed through a substantial genetic bottleneck around the last glacial maximum (~21 ka BP) followed by a sharp demographic expansion at the onset of the Holocene, indicating increased effective population sizes during warm periods as expected from the thermophilic nature of the species. Genome scans and environmental association analyses identified several loci putatively under selection, suggesting that local adaptation processes in certain populations might not be impeded by widespread gene flow. Finally, all analyses showed few differences between outbreak and nonoutbreak populations. Integrated pest management practices should consider high population connectivity and the potential importance of local adaptation processes on population persistence.

Changes in Firearm and Medication Storage Practices in Homes of Youths at Risk for Suicide: Results of the SAFETY Study, a Clustered, Emergency Department-Based, Multisite, Stepped-Wedge Trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE

We evaluate whether a counseling intervention implemented at the hospital level resulted in safer firearm and medication storage by caregivers of youths aged 10 to 17 years after their child's evaluation in the emergency department (ED) for a behavioral health concern.

METHODS

We used a stepped-wedge clustered design rolled out at 4 hospital sites to assess primary preregistered outcomes (self-reported storage changes caregivers made to household firearms and medications), assessed by survey 2 weeks after the ED visit. Three logistic models provided estimates of the intervention effect: an unadjusted model, a model with hospital-level fixed effects, and a model that further adjusts for time.

RESULTS

Of the 575 caregiver participants, 208 were firearm owners (123 in usual care, 85 in the intervention). Baseline (pre-ED visit) characteristics did not differ between usual care and intervention phases. During the 2-year study period, twice as many caregivers whose child visited the ED after (compared with before) a hospital adopted the intervention improved firearm storage and 3 times as many improved medication storage (odds ratio [OR]=2.1 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.0 to ∞] and OR=3.0 [95% CI 2.2 to ∞], respectively). After adjusting for time, the intervention effect for medications persisted (OR=2.0 [95% CI 1.0 to ∞]); the effect on firearms did not (OR=0.7 [95% CI 0.1 to ∞]).

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this study is the first controlled trial to estimate the effectiveness of an intervention on firearm and medication storage in homes of youths at elevated risk of suicide. We found evidence that caregivers' medication storage improved after their child's ED visit, with evidence suggestive of improvement for firearm storage.

Methods for independently manipulating palatability and color in small insect prey

Understanding how the psychology of predators shapes the defenses of colorful aposematic prey has been a rich area of inquiry, with emphasis on hypothesis-driven experiments that independently manipulate color and palatability in prey to examine predator responses. Most of these studies focus on avian predators, despite calls to consider more taxonomically diverse predators. This taxonomic bias leaves gaps in our knowledge about the generalizability of current theory. Here we have adapted tools that have been successfully used with bird predators and scaled them down and tested them with smaller predators (Habronattus jumping spiders) and small insect prey (termites, milkweed bug nymphs, pinhead crickets, fruit flies). Specifically, we test (1) the application of denatonium benzoate (DB) to the surface of live termites, crickets, and fruit flies, and (2) the effectiveness of manipulating the palatability of milkweed bug nymphs through diet. We also test the effectiveness of combining these palatability manipulations with various color manipulations. Across several experiments, we confirm that our palatability manipulations are not detectable to the spiders before they attack (i.e., they do not produce aversive odors that spiders avoid), and show that unpalatable prey are indeed quickly rejected and spiders do not habituate to the taste with experience. We also investigate limitations of these techniques by assessing possible unintended effects on prey behavior and the risk of contact contamination when using DB-treated prey in experiments. While similar tools have been used to manipulate color and palatability with avian predators and relatively large insect prey, we show how these techniques can be effectively adapted for use with small invertebrate predators and prey.