MAD1L1 and TSNARE gene polymorphisms are associated with schizophrenia susceptibility in the Han Chinese population

Background Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe mental illness with high heritability. This study aimed to explore the correlation between MAD1L1, TSNARE polymorphisms and SCZ susceptibility. Methods A total of 493 SCZ patients and 493 healthy controls were included. The genotypes of MAD1L1 and TSNARE polymorphisms were identified by Agena MassARRAY platform. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were tested via logistic regression analysis in multiple genetic models and different subgroups. Results We observed that AG genotype of rs1107592, AG genotype of rs4976976, and CA genotype of rs67756423 decreased the susceptibility to SCZ (p < 0.05). Age stratification analysis showed that the TC genotype of rs12666575, AG genotype of rs1107592, and AG genotype of rs4976976 decreased the risk of SCZ individuals older than 36 years (p < 0.05). In addition, the AG and AA genotype of rs4976976, the CA genotype of rs67756423 were associated with a lower risk of SCZ in males (p < 0.05). In females, the TT genotype of rs12666575 in recessive model, the AG and AA-AG genotype of rs1107592 in heterozygote and dominant model, could reduce the susceptibility to SCZ (p < 0.05). However, no significant association was found after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions Our results suggest that MAD1L1 and TSNARE genetic polymorphisms exert a protective role in the risk of SCZ. These findings provide evidence that MAD1L1 and TSNARE may serve as potential biomarkers of SCZ. However, a replication experiment in a cohort with large sample size are required to confirm our findings. Trial registration Not applicable.

Revisiting the prioritization of emotional information in iconic memory

In this replication study, the previously reported prioritization of emotional stimuli in iconic memory (Kuhbandner et al . 2011. Psychol. Sci. 22 , 695–700. (doi:10.1177/0956797611406445)) was reinvestigated. Therefore, recall from iconic memory was measured for sets of visual images that were briefly presented in the periphery of the visual field. Using a partial-report technique, a central arrow presented at varying delays after the images was pointing to the location of the to-be-recalled target. In the direct replication (experiment 1, n = 41), participants were asked to verbally report the cued image (note that the entire planned sample size could not be reached owing to the COVID-19 pandemic), and in an extension experiment (experiment 2, n = 55), iconic memory was tested using a visual recognition test. Both experiments demonstrated prioritized selection of emotional targets from iconic memory, with higher verbal recall and visual recognition accuracy for negative and positive targets compared to neutral targets. In addition, we found that the presence of emotional distractors in the set interfered with the selection of neutral targets, thus confirming a trend that was observed in the original study. Exponential decay curves further revealed that both target and distractor valence primarily affected initial availability (in case of verbal recall) and attentional selection, whereas the decay of iconic memory with increasing cue delay was less sensitive to the emotional meaning.

Emergence and diversification of a host-parasite RNA ecosystem through Darwinian evolution

In prebiotic evolution, molecular self-replicators are considered to develop into diverse, complex living organisms. The appearance of parasitic replicators is believed inevitable in this process. However, the role of parasitic replicators in prebiotic evolution remains elusive. Here, we demonstrated experimental coevolution of RNA self-replicators (host RNAs) and emerging parasitic replicators (parasitic RNAs) using an RNA-protein replication system we developed. During a long-term replication experiment, a clonal population of the host RNA turned into an evolving host-parasite ecosystem through the continuous emergence of new types of host and parasitic RNAs produced by replication errors. The host and parasitic RNAs diversified into at least two and three different lineages, respectively, and they exhibited evolutionary arms-race dynamics. The parasitic RNA accumulated unique mutations, thus adding a new genetic variation to the whole replicator ensemble. These results provide the first experimental evidence that the coevolutionary interplay between host-parasite molecules plays a key role in generating diversity and complexity in prebiotic molecular evolution.

Efficacy Trial of AgroSuper (2, 4-D Dimethyl Amine Salt 720G/L SL) on Sorghum Broad Leaf Weed

Sorghum is susceptible to weed competition at its early stage of growth. The aim of this efficacy trial was to ensure that candidate chemical AgroSuper verification on a selective and effective control of broad leaf weed on Sorghum, after sorghum germination. RCBD with three replication experiment was carried out in Humera area in Humera Agricultural Research Center and Desta Berhe farm during 2019 rainy growing season using sorghum variety called Brhan. Pre and post spray weed count were subjected to efficacy calculation. Finally, new product of herbicide, AgroSuper (2, 4-D dimethyl amine salt 720G/L SL) 1.5 liter using 200-liter water solution per hectare was shown better performance than the standard check Aura 72SL. Therefore, the new AgroSuper could be suggested as an alternative selective herbicide during post-emergency to kill broad leaf weeds of sorghum.

Integrating open science in the teaching of cognitive research methods

Openness, transparency, and reproducibility are widely accepted as fundamental aspects of scientific practice. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that these features are not readily adopted in the daily practice of most scientists. The Centre for Open Science has been championing efforts for systemic change in the scientific process, with newly adopted practices such as preregistration and open sharing of data and experimental materials. In an effort to inculcate these practices early in training, we have integrated several key components of open science practice into an undergraduate research methods course in the cognitive sciences. Students were divided into four research teams, each with the goal of carrying out a replication experiment related to the study of attention; specifically, temporal orienting, alertness, prior entry, and the attentional blink. Teams completed a preregistration exercise, and importantly, were encouraged to consider a priori the criteria for a successful replication. They were also required to collect and analyze data, prepare manuscripts, and disseminate their findings in poster symposia and oral presentations. All project materials can be found at https://osf.io/gxkfq/. Critical appraisal of the goals and implementation of the course are discussed.

Emergence and diversification of a host-parasite RNA ecosystem through Darwinian evolution

In the prebiotic evolution, molecular self-replicators are considered to develop into diverse, complex living organisms. The appearance of parasitic replicators is believed inevitable in this process. However, the role of parasitic replicators on prebiotic evolution remains elusive. Here, we demonstrated experimental coevolution of RNA self-replicators (host RNAs) and emerging parasitic replicators (parasitic RNAs) for the first time by using an RNA-protein replication system we had developed. During a long-term replication experiment, a clonal population of the host RNA turned into an evolving host-parasite ecosystem through the continuous emergence of new types of host and parasitic RNAs produced by replication errors. The diversified host and parasitic RNAs exhibited evolutionary arms-race dynamics. The parasitic RNA accumulated unique mutations that the host RNA had never acquired, thus adding a new genetic variation to the whole replicator ensemble. These results provide the first experimental evidence that the coevolutionary interplay between host-parasite molecules play a key role in generating diversity and complexity in prebiotic molecular evolution.

The assessment of intrinsic credibility and a new argument for p < 0.005

The concept of intrinsic credibility has been recently introduced to check the credibility of ‘out of the blue’ findings without any prior support. A significant result is deemed intrinsically credible if it is in conflict with a sceptical prior derived from the very same data that would make the effect just non-significant. In this paper, I propose to use Bayesian prior-predictive tail probabilities to assess intrinsic credibility. For the standard 5% significance level, this leads to a new p -value threshold that is remarkably close to the recently proposed p < 0.005 standard. I also introduce the credibility ratio, the ratio of the upper to the lower limit (or vice versa ) of a confidence interval for a significant effect size. I show that the credibility ratio has to be smaller than 5.8 such that a significant finding is also intrinsically credible. Finally, a p -value for intrinsic credibility is proposed that is a simple function of the ordinary p -value and has a direct frequentist interpretation in terms of the probability of replicating an effect. An application to data from the Open Science Collaboration study on the reproducibility of psychological science suggests that intrinsic credibility of the original experiment is better suited to predict the success of a replication experiment than standard significance.

Gender Bias in Pediatric Pain Assessment

Objective: Observer rating of pain is central to diagnosis and treatment in healthcare, especially in pediatrics. However, there are few studies examining potential biases in observer ratings of pediatric pain. Cohen et al. (2014) reported that adult participants rated a video of a child undergoing a needle stick as experiencing more pain when the child was described as a boy as compared to a girl, suggesting a possible gender bias. To confirm, clarify, and extend this finding, we conducted a replication experiment and follow-up study examining the role of explicit gender stereotypes in shaping such asymmetric judgments. Method: In an independent, pre-registered, direct replication and extension study with open data and materials (osf.io/6tj58), we showed participants the same video from Cohen et al. (2014), with the child described as a boy or a girl depending on condition. We then asked adults to rate how much pain the child experienced and displayed, how typical the child was in these respects, and how much they agreed with explicit gender stereotypes concerning pain response in boys versus girls. Results: Similar to Cohen et al. (2014), but with a larger and more demographically diverse sample, we found that the ‘boy’ was rated as experiencing more pain than the ‘girl’ despite identical clinical circumstances and identical pain behavior cross conditions. Controlling for explicit gender stereotypes eliminated the effect. Conclusions: Explicit gender stereotypes—e.g., that boys are more ‘stoic’ or girls are more emotive—may bias adult assessment of children’s pain.

Archaeology and the origins of human cumulative culture: a case study from the earliest Oldowan at Gona, Ethiopia.

Homo sapiens’ capacity for the inter-generational accumulation of complex technologies, practices, and beliefs is central to contemporary accounts of human distinctiveness. However, the actual antiquity and evolutionary origins of cumulative culture are not known. Here we propose and exemplify a research program for studying the origins of cumulative culture using archaeological evidence. Our step-wise approach disentangles assessment of the observed fidelity of behavior reproduction from inferences regarding required learning mechanisms (e.g. teaching, imitation) and the explanation of larger-scale patterns of change. It is empirically grounded in technological analysis of artifact assemblages using well-validated experimental models. We demonstrate with a case study using a tool-making replication experiment to assess evidence of behavior copying across three 2.6 million-year-old Oldowan sites from Gona, Ethiopia. Results fail to reveal any effects of raw material size, shape, quality, or reduction intensity that could explain the observed details of inter-site technological variation in terms of individual learning across different local conditions. This supports the view that relatively detailed copying of tool-making methods was already a feature of Oldowan technological reproduction ~2.6 mya. We conclude with a discussion of prospects and implications for further research on the evolution of human cumulative culture.