University of Manchester

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are distinct conditions with similarities in developmental course. Research suggests that neurodivergent processes in both conditions begin in the first year, altering infant behaviour and how parents respond, over time reducing social-communicative opportunities for social brain development. This study aimed to investigate parent-infant interactions in both groups relative to typically developing infants (TD) at 10 and 14 months. We hypothesised that the infants with NF1 and infants at elevated likelihood of ADHD (EL-ADHD) would show less attentiveness to their parent and less mutual parent-infant interaction relative to TD controls, that attentiveness-to-parent would be particularly low in infants with NF1, and that liveliness and negative affect would be higher in infants with EL-ADHD. Parents and their infants with NF1, EL-ADHD and TD were videotaped during free play interactions and coded using validated rating scales. The two non-TD groups differed in their interactive patterns from the TD group and each other in ways somewhat consistent with the early behaviours that characterise each group. The NF1 group showed relatively less mutual interactions than the EL-ADHD group, and less parental sensitive responsiveness and parental directiveness than the TD group, while EL-ADHD infants were livelier and showed less negative affect relative to the other groups. Most main effects persisted over time. While longer-term follow-up in larger samples is needed, our findings highlight how children with neurodevelopmental conditions that are not primarily characterised by social communication difficulties may nonetheless come to have distinct social experiences in the first year of life.

Limited research has explored how Korean pop (K-pop) fans respond to incongruent celebrity endorsements, where the celebrity’s image conflicts with the brand they endorse. This study, conducted with 525 consumers of Hallyu (Korean Wave), reveals that fans react angrily when a celebrity’s image does not align with the endorsed brand. Such anger significantly reduces their willingness to purchase products or services associated with these celebrities. The findings highlight the critical importance of aligning celebrities’ images with their endorsed brands to maintain fan support and achieve business success.

The observation of slow relaxation of magnetization in low‐spin square planar cobalt complexes is exceedingly rare, likely due to the synthetic challenges of stabilizing such geometries, along with the complexities introduced by hyperfine interactions and spin‐orbit coupling. Additionally, accurately characterizing the ground‐state electronic configuration of these complexes remains a significant challenge. In this article, we report a unique and rare square planar cobalt complex, [Co(L1⋅⁻)2] (1), where the coordination sites are occupied by the phenanthroiminoquinone (L1). The molecular structure of complex 1 was determined using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies. A structurally analogous nickel complex, [NiII(L1⋅⁻)2] (2), was also synthesized and characterized. Detailed DC magnetic susceptibility measurements of 2 reveal strong antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the radical centers, rendering it diamagnetic. For cobalt complex 1, this strong antiferromagnetic coupling results in a doublet ground state, as corroborated by X‐band EPR measurements (at 5 K) conducted on both polycrystalline and frozen solution samples. To gain deeper insights into the electronic structure of the cobalt ion in 1, a comprehensive suite of experimental and theoretical investigations was conducted, including X‐ray diffraction, DC magnetic studies, X‐band EPR, UV‐Vis‐NIR spectroscopy, and ab initio calculations. These studies collectively indicate that the cobalt ion in 1 exists in a divalent low‐spin state. Furthermore, the observed slow relaxation of magnetization for the doublet state of 1 highlights its potential as an ideal candidate for designing spin‐based molecular qubits.

Understanding structural dynamics on the picosecond/nanometer scale in complex fluids is crucial for advancing various fields, from material chemistry to drug delivery. We employ polarized quasi-elastic neutron spectroscopy to investigate the perturbation to the hydrogen bond network of water–ethanol mixtures induced by a supramolecular gel network and by paracetamol (PCM) molecules. Interestingly, while the supramolecular gelator significantly alters the macroscopic behavior of the solvent at concentrations of 0.3 and 0.5 wt. %, it does not affect the hydrogen bond network at the microscopic level. In contrast, the addition of PCM at 5 wt. %, which does not change the macroscopic properties, modifies the structural dynamics of water–ethanol mixtures at length scales commensurate with and below the PCM–PCM correlation length in the mixture. This study reveals the intricate interplay between solute, solvent, and gel interactions, demonstrating a lack of direct correlation between macroscopic and microscopic properties in such complex systems.

Astrocyte atrophy is the main histopathological hallmark of major depressive disorder (MDD) in humans and in animal models of depression. In particular, depression and depressive-like behaviors are associated with a substantial decrease in size and complexity of astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex. This results in the reduced homeostatic support of synaptic transmission, which arguably translates into abnormal activity of neuronal networks and pathological changes in mood and behavior. Treatment of experimental animals with antidepressants as well as with acupuncture in the specific acupoints alleviates depressive-like behaviors and rescues astrocytic atrophy. Here, we describe the methodology for inducing and monitoring the depressive-like behaviors in mice using chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), with subsequent in-depth analysis of astrocytic morphology using confocal microscopy in conjunction with astrocyte-specific labeling by virally transfected genetically encoded fluorescent probe mCherry and intracellular injection of Lucifer yellow. We also describe immunocytochemical visualization of astrocyte-specific cytoskeletal linker ezrin, which is involved in controlling perisynaptic astrocytic leaflets.

Payment reforms in healthcare can have spillover effects on the care experienced by non‐targeted patients treated by the same provider. Few empirical studies have quantitatively investigated the mechanisms behind these effects. We formulate theory‐driven hypotheses to investigate the spillover mechanisms of a regional payment reform in the English National Health Service, using linked patient‐physician data and difference‐in‐differences methods. We show that regional payment changes were associated with an increase in mortality of 0.321 percentage points (S.E. 0.114) for non‐targeted emergency patients who were treated by physicians with no exposure to the incentives, compared to control regions. In contrast, the mortality rate for non‐targeted patients reduced by 0.008 percentage points (S.E. 0.002) for every additional targeted patient treated per quarter by their physician. These findings were consistent across a range of sensitivity analyses. The findings suggest that providers diverted resources away from non‐targeted patients but that patients benefitted from physicians learning from the incentives. We demonstrate how the formulation of theory‐driven hypotheses about spillover mechanisms can improve the understanding of how and where spillover effects may occur, contributing to research design and policymaking.

Objectives Speech-in-noise performance is of paramount importance to daily function, and there exists a bewildering array of outcome measures to capture the many dimensions of this concept. The aim of the present study was to provide insight into how different speech-in-noise outcome measures relate to one another, how they behave under different test conditions, and how researchers or practitioners might go about selecting an outcome measure (or measures) depending on the context and focus of their enquiry. Design An online speech-in-noise study was conducted using the Labvanced experimental platform. A total of 67 participants (42 who reported having normal hearing, 25 who said they had some degree of hearing loss) completed the Effort Assessment Scale (a self-reported measure of daily-life listening effort), followed by a sentence recognition task in which BKB sentences were presented in speech-shaped noise at signal to noise ratios (SNRs) of −8, −4, 0, +4, +8, and +20 dB. Participants were instructed to listen to each sentence and then repeat aloud what they heard. Responses were recorded through participants’ webcams and later independently scored by 2 research assistants. Several outcome measures were used to tap into both accuracy and listening effort. Specifically, we examined: (1) objective intelligibility (percentage of keywords correctly repeated); (2) subjective intelligibility; (3) subjective listening effort; (4) subjective tendency to give up listening; and (5) verbal response time (VRT) extracted from the audio recordings. Data were analyzed using Bayesian statistical methods. Results Hearing loss and age were associated with speech-in-noise outcomes. Specifically, we observed lower intelligibility (objective and subjective), higher subjective listening effort, and longer VRT (time to verbal response onset) in hearing-impaired compared with normal-hearing listeners, and reduced objective intelligibility and longer VRT in older compared with younger listeners. When moving from highly favorable to more adverse listening conditions, subjective listening effort was the first measure to show sensitivity to worsening SNR, followed by subjective intelligibility, objective intelligibility, subjective tendency to give up listening, and, finally, VRT. Participants, especially those with normal hearing, consistently underestimated their own performance. Conclusions The present findings offer useful insight into how different subjective and objective measures of listening accuracy and effort respond to variation in hearing status, age, and SNR. Although speech intelligibility remains a measure of primary importance, it is a sensitive measure only under adverse listening conditions, which may not be representative of everyday listening. Under more ecologically relevant listening conditions (generally speaking, at moderate, positive SNRs), listening effort becomes a crucial factor to consider to adequately describe the listening experience. VRT may provide a useful objective marker of listening effort, but caution is required to deal with measurement variability, differences in definition, and the potentially confounding effect of age.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had varying impacts across different regions, necessitating localised data-driven responses. SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in a person in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and spread globally within three months. While there were similarities in the pandemic’s impact across regions, key differences motivated systematic quantitative analysis of diverse geographical data to inform responses. Malawi reported its first COVID-19 case on 2 April 2020 but had significantly less data than Global North countries to inform its response. Here, we present a modelling analysis of SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology and phylogenetics in Malawi between 2 April 2020 and 19 October 2022. We carried out this analysis using open-source tools and open data on confirmed cases, deaths, geography, demographics, and viral genomics. R was used for data visualisation, while Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) estimated incidence trends, growth rates, and doubling times. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using IQ-TREE, TreeTime, and interactive tree of life. This analysis identifies five major COVID-19 waves in Malawi, driven by different lineages: (1) Early variants, (2) Beta, (3) Delta, (4) Omicron BA.1, and (5) Other Omicron. While the Alpha variant was present, it did not cause a major wave, likely due to competition from the more infectious Delta variant, since Alpha circulated in Malawi when Beta was phasing out and Delta emerging. Case Fatality Ratios were higher for Delta, and lower for Omicron, than for earlier lineages. Phylogeny reveals separation of the tree into major lineages as would be expected, and early emergence of Omicron, as is consistent with proximity to the likely origin of this variant. Both variant prevalence and overall rates of confirmed cases and confirmed deaths were highly geographically heterogeneous. We suggest that real-time analyses should be considered in Malawi and other countries, where similar computational and data resources are available.

Statement of problem: Although additive manufacturing (AM) has facilitated the fabrication of resin-based definitive restorations, knowledge of the effects of artificial aging on their physical and mechanical properties is lacking. Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effects of material type and thermal cycling on the translucency, surface roughness, microhardness, and flexural strength of AM resins marketed for definitive restorations. Material and methods: Bar-shaped (25×2×2 mm) and disk-shaped (Ø10×2 mm) specimens from 4 different AM resin groups Crowntec (CT), Tera Harz TC-80DP (TH), VarseoSmile Crown plus (VS). and Permanent (CB) were prepared. The specimens were randomly distributed to 2 groups: (1) nonaged (stored in distilled water at 37 °C for 24 hours) and (2) aged (thermocycled for 10 000 cycles at 5 °C to 55 °C). For each specimen, the degree of conversion (DC) was determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Color coordinates of the specimens were measured to calculate relative translucency parameter (RTP) values. Surface roughness (Ra) was measured with an optical profilometer, and Vickers microhardness values (VHN) were obtained. Flexural strength (σ) and elastic modulus (E) values were obtained by using the 3-point bend test. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the fractured surfaces. The data were statistically analyzed using factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey post hoc analyses and paired t tests (α=.05). Results: Both DC and RTP were significantly affected by material type (P<.001). The highest and lowest DC values were reported in CT and CB, respectively. None of the tested resins exceeded clinical thresholds of ΔRTP. The material type also had a significant impact on Ra (P<.001). VHN was significantly affected by material type (P<.001) and aging (P<.001). CT had the highest value, while TH had the lowest value, regardless of the aging condition. In addition, the σ and E were significantly affected by both material type (P<.001) and aging (P≤.002). Conclusions: The material type of the AM resins significantly impacted on their DC, RTP, Ra, VHN, σ, and E values. Thermal cycling of the tested resins also significantly affected their VHN, σ, and E values. No interactions were observed between material type and aging. Clinical Implications: Clinicians should understand the effect of the material type and thermal cycling on the translucency, surface properties, and mechanical properties of commercial AM resins marketed for definitive restorations. Thermal cycling significantly decreased the Vickers hardness, flexural strength, and elastic modulus of tested AM resins, regardless of the material type. In contrast, translucency and surface roughness were influenced solely by the material type.

Despite the rapid efficiency increase, tin halide perovskite solar cells are significantly behind their lead‐based counterpart, with the highest reported efficiency of 15.38%. The main reason for this large difference is attributed to the instability of Sn²⁺, which easily oxidizes to Sn⁴⁺, creating Sn vacancies and increasing the open‐circuit voltage loss. In this work, we implemented tin thiocyanate (Sn(SCN)2) as an additive for passivating the bulk defects of a germanium‐doped tin halide perovskite film. Adding Sn²⁺ and SCN⁻ ions reduces the Sn and iodine vacancies, limiting non‐radiative recombination and favoring longer charge‐carrier dynamics. Moreover, the addition of Sn(SCN)2 induces a higher film crystallinity and preferential orientation of the (l00) planes parallel to the substrate. The passivated devices showed improved photovoltaic parameters with the best open‐circuit voltage of 0.716 V and the best efficiency of 12.22%, compared to 0.647 V and 10.2% for the reference device. In addition, the passivated solar cell retains 88.7% of its initial efficiency after 80 min of illumination under 100 mW cm‐2 and is substantially better than the control device, which reaches 82.6% of its initial power conversion efficiency only after 30 min. This work demonstrates the passivation potential of tin‐based additives, which combined with different counterions give a relatively large space of choices for passivation of Sn‐based perovskites.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials could be used to build next-generation electronics. However, despite progress in the synthesis of single-crystal 2D wafers for use as the channel material in devices, the preparation of single-crystal dielectric wafers—and their reliable integrating on 2D semiconductors with clean interfaces, large gate capacitance and low leakage current—remains challenging. Here we show that thin (around 2 nm) single-crystal wafers of the dielectric antimony oxide (Sb2O3) can be epitaxially grown on a graphene-covered copper surface. The films exhibit good gate controllability at an equivalent oxide thickness of 0.6 nm. The conformal growth of Sb2O3 allows graphene to be transferred onto application-specific substrates with a low density of cracks and wrinkles. With the approach, and due to the clean dielectric interface, graphene devices can be fabricated on a four-inch wafer that exhibit a maximum carrier mobility of 29,000 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ (average of 14,000 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹) and good long-term stability. The Sb2O3 can also be transferred and used as a dielectric in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) devices, leading to devices with an on/off ratio of 10⁸ and minimum subthreshold swing of 64 mV dec⁻¹.

Fusion reactor materials for the first wall and blanket must have high strength, be radiation tolerant and be reduced activation (low post-use radioactivity), which has resulted in reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels. The current steels suffer irradiation-induced hardening and embrittlement and are not adequate for planned commercial fusion reactors. Producing high strength, ductility and toughness is difficult, because inhibiting deformation to produce strength also reduces the amount of work hardening available, and thereby ductility. Here we solve this dichotomy to introduce a high strength and high ductility RAFM steel, produced by a modified thermomechanical process route. A unique multiscale microstructure is developed, comprising nanoscale and microscale ferrite, tempered martensite containing fine subgrains and a high density of nanoscale precipitates. High strength is attributed to the fine grain and subgrain and a higher proportion of metal carbides, while the high ductility results from a high mobile dislocation density in the ferrite, subgrain formation in the tempered martensite, and the bimodal microstructure, which improves ductility without impairing strength.

The Belt Road Initiative (BRI) is one of the main plans by the Chinese government where the objective is to expand the trade routes of China with the rest of the world. The initiative took effect on 7 September 2013, when the country stated the action plan to the extent of the link between China and Europe across many countries in the Eurasia and Indian Ocean (Cubbert & Chaudhary, 2018). The extensive investment by China in other countries has paved the way for effective growth in the future for the host countries. However, it has also raised concerns in the global economy where authorities have claimed that the initiative is intended to extend the political influence of China and is a form of economic imperialism practiced by the country. In this sense, it becomes important to assess the effect of this initiative on the sustainability of the host nations, especially the poor countries that face greater consequences due to their inability to pay back their debt. The underlying study aims to explore this case where the effect of the BRI on the trade integration and economic well-being of the South Asian nations are assessed. This means that the study explores the changes in the nexus of foreign direct investment (FDI), trade, and growth in South Asia due to the BRI involvement. It stated that the BRI has been effective in facilitating higher growth in the recipient nations, however, their trade relationship with the rest of the world has been questionable since their participation in the initiative. The government in South Asia needs to closely monitor the investment opportunities and the corresponding risks of retaliation by other nations to effectively facilitate a sustainable growth rate and trade integration.

Addressing the under-researched issue of weapon tolerance, the paper examines factors behind male knife and gun tolerance across four different cultures, seeking to rank them in terms of predictive power and shed light on relations between them. To this end, four regression and structural equation modelling analyses were conducted using samples from the US (n = 189), India (n = 196), England (n = 107) and Poland (n = 375). Each sample of male participants indicated their standing on several dimensions (i.e., predictors) derived from theory and related research (i.e., Psychoticism, Need for Respect, Aggressive Masculinity, Belief in Social Mobility and Doubt in Authority). All four regression models were statistically significant. The knife tolerance predictors were: Aggressive Masculinity (positive) in the US, Poland and England, Belief in Social Mobility (negative) in the US and England, Need for Respect (positive) in India and Psychoticism (positive) in Poland. The gun tolerance predictors were: Psychoticism (positive) in the US, India and Poland, Aggressive Masculinity (positive) in the US, England and Poland, and Belief in in Social Mobility (negative) in the US, Belief in Social Mobility (positive) and Doubt in Authority (negative) in Poland. The Structural Equation Weapon Tolerance Model (WTM) suggested an indirect effect for the latent factor Perceived Social Ecological Constraints via its positive relation with the latent factor Saving Face, both knife and gun tolerance were predicted by Psychoticism.

Inflammation is a key contributor to stroke pathogenesis and exacerbates brain damage leading to poor outcome. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is an important regulator of post-stroke inflammation, and blocking its actions is beneficial in pre-clinical stroke models and safe in the clinical setting. However, the distinct roles of the two major IL-1 receptor type 1 agonists, IL-1α and IL-1β, and the specific role of IL-1α in ischemic stroke remain largely unknown. Here we show that IL-1α and IL-1β have different spatio-temporal expression profiles in the brain after experimental stroke, with early microglial IL-1α expression (4 h) and delayed IL-1β expression in infiltrated neutrophils and a small microglial subset (24–72 h). We examined for the first time the specific role of microglial-derived IL-1α in experimental permanent and transient ischemic stroke through microglial-specific tamoxifen-inducible Cre-loxP-mediated recombination. Microglial IL-1α deletion did not influence acute outcome after ischemic stroke. However, microglial IL-1α knock out (KO) mice showed reduced peri-infarct vessel density and reactive astrogliosis at 14 days post-stroke, alongside long-term impaired functional recovery. Our study identifies for the first time a critical role for microglial IL-1α on post-stroke neurorepair and recovery, highlighting the importance of targeting specific IL-1 mechanisms in brain injury to develop effective therapies.

Feminist criminological scholarship on illegal substances has struggled to explain why some women who use drugs continue to participate in markets that confront them with overwhelming harms, high risk of sexual abuse, violence, and intense gendered stigma. Utilizing a case study drawn from a sample of incarcerated women who used methamphetamine in Missouri, we highlight the role of gendered identifications and emotional dependencies in the processing of trauma and its consequences for engagement in exploitative exchanges. The article is a contribution to a trauma-informed psychosocial criminology that provides a dynamic and holistic explanation of intergenerational trauma and methamphetamine use.

Doped colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are promising spin-photon interfaces, combining excellent optical properties and a substrate-free, nano-positionable platform. Here, we report the synthesis of InP/ZnSeS core-shell CQDs from zinc sulphide...