The influence of perceived causation on judgments of time: an integrative review and implications for decision-making

Recent research has shown that the perception of causality affects the judgment of elapsed time: an interval between an action and a subsequent event seems to be shorter when people believe that action has caused the event. This article reviews past work on the phenomenon and integrates the findings from the different settings in which it has been observed. The effect is found for actions people have personally taken, as well as for those they have simply read or heard about. It occurs for very short intervals (e.g., milliseconds) as well as longer periods (e.g., months or years). Beliefs and expectations about different types of causal forces and their trajectories over time can affect the degree of time compression in some settings. But the tendency toward compression of time is the default and dominant response: It persists when people think of generic causal relations and is enhanced when people opt for the quickest interpretation of causal relations. This robust influence of causality on time judgment appears to be linked to the basic tendency to rely on temporal proximity in processing causal relations and to people's early experience with the physical-mechanical world. Past work has focused primarily on the implications of time compression for the sense of agency, but this phenomenon has implications also for decisions that depend on time judgment. The compression of subjective time elapsed between actions and outcomes makes people more optimistically plan the timing of a focal action in the future, experience its effect earlier in the future, and be less likely to switch to an alternative course of action. The tendency toward compression can thus endow an action with a sort of privileged status or advantage

DWNN, a novel ubiquitin-like domain, implicates RBBP6 in mRNA processing and ubiquitin-like pathways

BACKGROUND: RBBP6 is a 250 kDa splicing-associated protein that has been identified as an E3 ligase due to the presence of a RING finger domain. In humans and mice it interacts with both p53 and Rb, and plays a role in the induction of apoptosis and regulation of the cell cycle. RBBP6 has recently been shown to be highly up-regulated in oesophageal cancer, and to be a promising target for immunotherapy against the disease. RESULTS: We show here using heteronuclear NMR that the N-terminal 81 amino acids of RBBP6 constitute a novel ubiquitin-like domain, which we have called the DWNN domain. The domain lacks conserved equivalents of K(48 )and K(63), although the equivalents of K(6 )and K(29 )are highly, although not absolutely, conserved. The di-glycine motif that is characteristic of proteins involved in ubiquitination is found in the human and mouse form of the domain, although it is not present in all organisms. It forms part of a three-domain form of RBBP6 containing the DWNN domain, a zinc knuckle and a RING finger domain, which is found in all eukaryotic genomes so far examined, in the majority of cases at single copy number. The domain is also independently expressed in vertebrates as a single domain protein. CONCLUSION: DWNN is a novel ubiquitin-like domain found only at the N-terminus of the RBBP6 family of splicing-associated proteins. The ubiquitin-like structure of the domain greatly increases the likelihood that RBBP6 functions through some form of ubiquitin-like modification. Furthermore, the fact that the DWNN domain is independently expressed in higher vertebrates leads us to propose that the domain may itself function as a novel ubiquitin-like modifier of other proteins

Amniotic Fluid Glucose Concentration: A Marker for Infection in Preterm Labor and Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes

Amniotic fluid Gram stain and culture have been utilized as laboratory tests of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity. The Gram stain of amniotic fluid has a low sensitivity in the detection of clinical infection or microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, and amniotic fluid culture results are not immediately available for management decisions. Glucose concentration is used to diagnose infection in other sites such as cerebrospinal fluid

What determines the fraction of elliptical galaxies in clusters?

We study the correlation between the morphological mix of cluster galaxies and the assembly history of the parent cluster by taking advantage of two independently developed semi-analytic models for galaxy formation and evolution. In our models, both the number of cluster members and that of elliptical members increase as a function of cluster mass, in such a way that the resulting elliptical fractions are approximately independent of cluster mass. The population of cluster ellipticals exhibit a marked bimodal distribution as a function of galaxy stellar mass, with a dip at masses $\sim 10^{10}\,{\rm M}_{\odot}$. In the framework of our models, this bimodality originates from the combination of a strongly decreasing number of galaxies with increasing stellar mass, and a correspondingly increasing probability of experiencing major mergers. We show that the correlation between the measured elliptical fraction and the assembly history of the parent cluster is weak, and that it becomes stronger in models that adopt longer galaxy merger times. We argue that this results from the combined effect of a decreasing bulge production due to a reduced number of mergers, and an increasing survival probability of pre-existing ellipticals, with the latter process being more important than the former.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Comparative Study of Intravaginal Metronidazole and Triple-Sulfa Therapy for Bacterial Vaginosis

Objective: We sought to compare the efficacy of metronidazole gel vs. triple-sulfa cream in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV)

CONSERVAÇÃO DE ÁGUA DE COCO POR REFRIGERAÇÃO

The quality of the process of bottling and refrigerating coconut water from unripe coconut fruits (Cocus nucifera, L.) was evaluated for shelf-life period of 24 to 48 hours. Samples were picked up for physicochemical determinations (acidity, pH, °Brix, and total sugar content) for microbiological analysis (total bacterial count, total and fecal coliforms, molds, and yeast) and sensory evaluation. The acceptability of the product was evaluated by the Modified Triangular Test. The data indicated the process as adequate, according to the hygienic conditions and that both the physicochemical and the microbiological analyses revealed all samples in accordance with Brazilian standards. The coconut water presented itself safe for consumption after bottled and stored at 10 °C for 48 hours. A light change in the product color was observed after the storage, but the change had no influence on the product acceptability.Avaliou-se a qualidade do processo de envase e refrigeração da água de coco verde (Cocus nucifera, L.), durante armazenamento de 24 e 48 horas. Amostras foram colhidas aleatoriamente para análises físico-químicas (acidez total, pH, oBrix e açúcares totais), microbiológicas (contagem padrão em placas, coliformes totais e fecais, bolores e leveduras) e sensoriais. A aceitabilidade do produto foi testada através da utilização do Teste Triangular Modificado. Os resultados evidenciaram que o processamento do produto foi adequado sob o ponto de vista sanitário. As análises físico-químicas e microbiológicas revelaram que todas as amostras encontraram-se de acordo com os padrões estabelecidos pela Legislação Brasileira. A água de coco apresentou-se em condições de consumo, após ter sido envasada e armazenada a temperatura de 10 °C pelo período de 48 horas. Houve leve alteração na cor do produto após período de 48 horas de armazenamento. No entanto, esta alteração não influiu na aceitabilidade do produto

Cachd1 interacts with Wnt receptors and regulates neuronal asymmetry in the zebrafish brain

Neurons on the left and right sides of the nervous system often show asymmetric properties, but how such differences arise is poorly understood. Genetic screening in zebrafish revealed that loss of function of the transmembrane protein Cachd1 resulted in right-sided habenula neurons adopting left-sided identity. Cachd1 is expressed in neuronal progenitors, functions downstream of asymmetric environmental signals, and influences timing of the normally asymmetric patterns of neurogenesis. Biochemical and structural analyses demonstrated that Cachd1 can bind simultaneously to Lrp6 and Frizzled family Wnt co-receptors. Consistent with this, lrp6 mutant zebrafish lose asymmetry in the habenulae, and epistasis experiments support a role for Cachd1 in modulating Wnt pathway activity in the brain. These studies identify Cachd1 as a conserved Wnt receptor–interacting protein that regulates lateralized neuronal identity in the zebrafish brain

The other side of Bulge Formation in a Lambda-CDM cosmology: Bulgeless Galaxies in the Local Universe

We study the physical properties, formation histories, and environment of galaxies without a significant "classical" spheroidal component, as predicted by semi-analytical models of galaxy formation and evolution. This work is complementary to the analysis presented in De Lucia et al., (2011), where we focus on the relative contribution of various physical mechanisms responsible for bulge assembly in a Lambda-CDM cosmology. We find that the fraction of bulgeless galaxies is a strong decreasing function of stellar mass: they represent a negligible fraction of the galaxy population with M* > 10^12 Msun, but dominate at M* < 10^10 Msun. We find a clear dichotomy in this galaxy population, between central galaxies of low-mass dark matter haloes, and satellite galaxies in massive groups/clusters. We show that bulgeless galaxies are relatively young systems, that assemble most of their mass at low-redshift, but they can also host very old stellar populations. Since galaxy-galaxy mergers are assumed to lead to the formation of a spheroidal component, in our models these galaxies form preferentially in low-mass haloes that host a small number of satellites galaxies. We show that the adopted modelling for galaxy mergers represents a key ingredient in determining the actual number of bulgeless galaxies. Our results show that these galaxies are not a rare population in theoretical models: at z~0, galaxies with no classical bulge (but often including galaxies with the equivalent of pseudo-bulges) account for up to 14% of the galaxies with 10^11 < M*/Msun < 10^12.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; updated version with additional comparisons with observation

Segurança Hídrica, Riscos e Conflitos na Instalação de Usinas Hidrelétricas: A Experiência de Comunidades Vulneráveis na Amazônia / Water Security, Risks and Conflicts in the Installation of Hydroelectric Plants: the Experience of Vulnerable Communities in the Amazon Region

A noção de Segurança Hídrica tem sido comumente adotada como a disponibilidade de água segura para pessoas, ecossistemas e iniciativa econômica. Neste âmbito, a dimensão dos conflitos tem sido emergente na Amazônia, em especial entre poder público, usinas hidrelétricas, comunidades e defensores dos ecossistemas, no qual o lado mais prejudicado é quase sempre o dos mais vulneráveis. O objetivo central deste trabalho é analisar experiências de indígenas e ribeirinhos, no contexto da segurança hídrica, riscos e conflitos decorrentes da instalação de usinas hidrelétricas na Amazônia. A abordagem e o método utilizados são de inspiração fenomenológica, cujo objeto são os sentidos atribuídos à experiência vivida. Como fontes de evidência, foram investigados 16 estudos acadêmicos sobre os impactos das hidrelétricas nas experiências de comunidades indígenas e ribeirinhas, no contexto da segurança e do risco. Os resultados nos mostram que no processo de instalação de usinas hidrelétricas os territórios indígenas e das comunidades ribeirinhas vivenciam um processo de violência similar ao período de ocupação portuguesa, resultando em um sentido de morte na capacidade de reprodução sociocultural dos vulneráveis, o que finda por gerar ao país uma perda irreparável em seu patrimônio imaterial.

Long or complicated mpox in patients with uncontrolled HIV infection

To date, former research about the impact of HIV infection on mpox poor outcomes is still limited and controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of HIV on the clinical course of mpox, in a large population of patients from Spain. Nationwide case-series study. Patients from 18 Spanish hospitals, with PCR-confirmed mpox from April 27, 2022 to June 30, 2023 were included in this study. The main outcome was the development of long or complicated (LC) mpox, defined as: (i) duration of the clinical course ≥ 28 days, or; (ii) disseminated disease, or: (iii) emergence of severe complications. One thousand eight hundred twenty-three individuals were included. Seven hundred eighty-six (43%) were people living with HIV (PLWH), of whom 11 (1%) had a CD4 cell count < 200 cells/mm3 and 33 (3%) <350 cells/mm3 . HIV viral load ≥ 1000 cp/mL was found in 27 (3%) PLWH, none of them were on effective ART. Fifteen (60%) PLWH with HIV-RNA ≥ 1000 cp/mL showed LC versus 182 (29%) PLWH with plasma HIV-RNA load < 1000 copies/mL and 192 (24%) individuals without HIV infection (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, adjusted by age, sex, CD4 cell counts and HIV viral load at the time of mpox, only plasma HIV-RNA ≥ 1000 cp/mL was associated with a greater risk of developing LC mpox [adjusted OR = 4.06 (95% confidence interval 1.57-10.51), p = 0.004]. PLWH with uncontrolled HIV infection, due to lack of ART, are at a greater risk of developing LC mpox. Efforts should be made to ensure HIV testing is carried out in patients with mpox and to start ART without delay in those tested positive