Integrated ribosome and proteome analyses reveal insights into sevoflurane-induced long-term social behavior and cognitive dysfunctions through ADNP inhibition in neonatal mice

A growing number of studies have demonstrated that repeated exposure to sevoflurane during development results in persistent social abnormalities and cognitive impairment.Davunetide,an active fragment of the activity-dependent neuroprotective protein(ADNP),has been implicated in social and cognitive protection.However,the potential of davunetide to attenuate social deficits following sevoflurane exposure and the underlying developmental mechanisms remain poorly understood.In this study,ribosome and proteome profiles were analyzed to investigate the molecular basis of sevoflurane-induced social deficits in neonatal mice.The neuropathological basis was also explored using Golgi staining,morphological analysis,western blotting,electrophysiological analysis,and behavioral analysis.Results indicated that ADNP was significantly down-regulated following developmental exposure to sevoflurane.In adulthood,anterior cingulate cortex(ACC)neurons exposed to sevoflurane exhibited a decrease in dendrite number,total dendrite length,and spine density.Furthermore,the expression levels of Homer,PSD95,synaptophysin,and vglut2 were significantly reduced in the sevoflurane group.Patch-clamp recordings indicated reductions in both the frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents(mEPSCs).Notably,davunetide significantly ameliorated the synaptic defects,social behavior deficits,and cognitive impairments induced by sevoflurane.Mechanistic analysis revealed that loss of ADNP led to dysregulation of Ca^(2+)activity via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling,resulting in decreased expression of synaptic proteins.Suppression of Wnt signaling was restored in the davunetide-treated group.Thus,ADNP was identified as a promising therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of neurodevelopmental toxicity caused by general anesthetics.This study provides important insights into the mechanisms underlying social and cognitive disturbances caused by sevoflurane exposure in neonatal mice and elucidates the regulatory pathways involved.

A Study on the“Social Behavior”of Zen Poetry Culture:A Case Study of the Sui and Tang Dynasties

During the Sui and Tang dynasties,Buddhism and Zen poetry underwent great development.Zen poetry is diverse in form,strong in personality,and high in achievement.Among the types of Zen poetry are poems,lyrics,and prose,some of which have social attributes closely related to the development of Chinese Buddhism.An analysis reveals that the viewpoints and information conveyed in these poems,lyrics,and prose are positively correlated with the attitudes of the emperors towards Buddhism.When the attitude of the emperor towards Buddhism reached its peak of positivity during the Tang dynasty,there was a change towards a negative correlation with the viewpoints expressed in poetry.

Ant Pupae from Myanmar Amber Reveal the Evolutionary Process of Cocoon-Spinning Behavior in Formicidae

Many extant species spin cocoons before their pupal stage,which can protect them from predators,pathogens,and fluctuant environmental factors in nests.However,owing to the scarcity of ant cocoon fossils,little is known about the origin and evolution of this behavior in Formicidae.Here,we describe two ant pupae specimens from Myanmar amber.The presence of cocoons in these Mesozoic fossils suggests the ancestral origin of spinning cocoon behavior;based on our phylogenetic analysis and ancestral state reconstruction,this behavior was secondarily lost at least six times in Formicidae,which could be ascribed to the transition of nesting and feeding habits,as well as the development of eusociality.Moreover,the first specimen preserved worker ants with empty cocoons simultaneously,indicating garbage removal or brood care behavior,which improves our understanding of their eusociality in the Cretaceous.

Melatonin improves synapse development by PI3K/Akt signaling in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorders are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders involving more than 1100 genes,including Ctnnd2 as a candidate gene.Ctnnd2knockout mice,serving as an animal model of autis m,have been demonstrated to exhibit decreased density of dendritic spines.The role of melatonin,as a neuro hormone capable of effectively alleviating social interaction deficits and regulating the development of dendritic spines,in Ctnnd2 deletion-induced nerve injury remains unclea r.In the present study,we discove red that the deletion of exon 2 of the Ctnnd2 gene was linked to social interaction deficits,spine loss,impaired inhibitory neurons,and suppressed phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt) signal pathway in the prefrontal cortex.Our findings demonstrated that the long-term oral administration of melatonin for 28 days effectively alleviated the aforementioned abnormalities in Ctnnd2 gene-knockout mice.Furthermore,the administration of melatonin in the prefro ntal cortex was found to improve synaptic function and activate the PI3K/Akt signal pathway in this region.The pharmacological blockade of the PI3K/Akt signal pathway with a PI3K/Akt inhibitor,wo rtmannin,and melatonin receptor antagonists,luzindole and 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin,prevented the melatonin-induced enhancement of GABAergic synaptic function.These findings suggest that melatonin treatment can ameliorate GABAe rgic synaptic function by activating the PI3K/Akt signal pathway,which may contribute to the improvement of dendritic spine abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders.

Influence of Information Technology on Social Spatial Behaviors of Urban Residents——Case of Nanjing City in China

Taking Nanjing as a case, the paper explains the spatial behavior differences existing in the information technology use among different groups of residents and households, by virtue of analyzing the survey data of urban households in the 11 districts of Nanjing, from the social, spatial, life and other non-technical angles. Also it makes various analyses and evaluation quantitatively and qualitatively on the social and spatial effect of information technology. The results show that the new technology is changing the social spatial behaviors of urban residents. New behavioral spaces of urban family such as telecommuting, email and QQ have begun to emerge. With the help of Internet, the communication scope of families has expanded greatly, and more new forms of publicizing community information have begun to emerge. Telecommunication contact forms have been developing swiftly, and their frequencies of contact have been increasing dramatically.

Sex differences in morphine-induced behavioral sensitization and social behaviors in ICR mice

Gender and genetic strain are two prominent variants that influence drug abuse. Although certain sexrelated behavioral responses have been previously characterized in ICR mice, little is known about the effects of sex on morphine-induced behavioral responses in this outbred strain. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the sex differences of morphine-induced locomotion, anxiety-like and social behaviors in ICR mice. After morphine or saline exposure for four consecutive days（twice daily）, increased locomotion, more time spent in the central area, as well as attenuated rearing and self-grooming behaviors were found in morphine-treated females in an open field; no differences were found in locomotion and the time spent in the central area between male and female controls. When interacting with the samesex individuals, female controls were engaged in more social investigation, following, body contacting and self-grooming behaviors than controls; morphine exposure reduced contacting and self-grooming behaviors in females; in contrast, these effects were not found in males. These results indicate that female ICR mice are more prosocial and are more susceptible to morphine exposure than males.

Differences in cocaine-induced place preference persistence, locomotion and social behaviors between C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice

C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice display significant differences in sociability and response to drugs, but the phenotypic variability of their susceptibility to cocaine is still not well known. In this study, the differences between these two mice strains in the persistence of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference （CPP）, as well as the locomotion and social behaviors after the 24-hour withdrawal from a four-day cocaine （20 mg/kg/day） administration were investigated. The results showed that the cocaine-induced CPP persisted over two weeks in C57BL/6J mice, while it diminished within one week among BALB/cJ mice. After 24-hours of cocaine withdrawal, high levels of locomotion as well as low levels of social interaction and aggressive behavior were found in C57BL/6J mice, but no significant changes were found in BALB/cJ mice, indicating that cocaine-induced CPP persistence, locomotion and social behavior are not consistent between these two strains, and that overall C57BL/6J mice are more susceptible to cocaine than BALB/cJ mice at the tested doses.

Social avoidance behavior in male tree shrews and prosocial behavior in male mice toward unfamiliar conspecifics in the laboratory

Adult male tree shrews vigorously defend against intruding male conspecifics. However, the characteristics of social behavior have not been entirely explored in these males. In this study, male wild-type tree shrews(Tupaia belangeri chinensis)and C57 BL/6 J mice were first allowed to familiarize themselves with an open-field apparatus. The tree shrews exhibited a short duration of movement(moving) in the novel environment, whereas the mice exhibited a long duration of movement. In the 30 min social preference-avoidance test, target animals significantly decreased the time spent by the experimental tree shrews in the social interaction(SI)zone, whereas experimental male mice exhibited the opposite. In addition, experimental tree shrews displayed a significantly longer latency to enter the SI zone in the second 15 min session(targetpresent) than in the first 15 min session(targetabsent), which was different from that found in mice.Distinct behavioral patterns in response to a conspecific male were also observed in male tree shrews and mice in the first, second, and third 5 min periods. Thus, social behaviors in tree shrews and mice appeared to be time dependent. In summary,our study provides results of a modified social preference-avoidance test designed for the assessment of social behavior in tree shrews. Our findings demonstrate the existence of social avoidance behavior in male tree shrews and prosocial behavior in male mice toward unfamiliar conspecifics. The tree shrew may be a new animal model, which differs from mice, for the study of social avoidance and prosocial behaviors.

Social bookmarking behaviors of college students:A survey of Wuhan University Library users

Purpose:To have a better understanding of library users' social bookmarking behaviors,we conducted a survey of college students to examine how much attention they have paid to social bookmarking results,their social bookmarking motivations and behaviors on book sharing sites and in their library's OPAC,and their expectations to their library's social bookmarking service.Design/methodology/approach:A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate social bookmarking behaviors and motivations of users of Wuhan University Library(WUL) on book sharing sites and in WUL's OPAC.A total of 700 questionnaires were distributed and357 valid questionnaires were retrieved.SPSS was used for data analysis.Findings:The results revealed that there were differences between users' social bookmarking behaviors on book sharing sites and in the Library's OPAC.Users preferred to use tags than add tags on book sharing sites.The main tagging motivation on book sharing sites was for meeting users' specific needs such as collection management and book recommendations.As for the Library,the lack of publicity and promotion of the social bookmarking service led to insufficient use of the Library's service.Due to a lack of knowledge of the social bookmarking service,users did not care about the lectures or publicity campaigns about the Library's social bookmarking service.Research limitations:Because social bookmarking was not common among WUL users,and the questionnaires could be handed out to a limited number of people,it was hard to describe users' social bookmarking behaviors in the Library's OPAC by investigating a sample of 357Library users,and therefore we only investigated users' social bookmarking behaviors on the book sharing sites.Practical implications:The survey results provide insights into library users' social bookmarking behaviors and motivations.The study will help academic libraries improve their social bookmarking service.Originality/value:In spite of growing popularity of social bookmarking sites,little has been known about the social bookmarking behaviors of library users.This study investigated college students' social bookmarking behaviors and motivations,providing suggestions for academic libraries to improve their social bookmarking services.

Stress-relevant social behaviors of middle-class male cynomolgus monkeys （Macaca fascicularis）

Stress from dominance ranks in human societies, or that of other social animals, especially nonhuman primates, can have negative influences on health. Individuals holding different social status may be burdened with various stress levels. The middle class experiences a special stress situation within the dominance hierarchy due to its position between the higher and lower classes. Behaviorally, questions about where middle-class stress comes from and how individuals adapt to middle-class stress remain poorly understood in nonhuman primates. In the present study, social interactions, including aggression, avoidance, grooming and mounting behaviors, between beta males, as well as among group members holding higher or lower social status, were analyzed in captive male-only cynomolgus monkey groups. We found that aggressive tension from the higher hierarchy members was the main origin of stress for middle- class individuals. However, behaviors such as attacking lower hierarchy members immediately after being the recipient of aggression, as well as increased avoidance, grooming and mounting toward both higher and lower hierarchy members helped alleviate middle-class stress and were particular adaptations to middle-class social status.

Unraveling Predatory Pricing:Insights From Case Studies and Game Theory Modeling

This paper develops a game-theory model for predatory pricing via in-depth analyses of three case studies:Brooke Group Ltd.v.Brown&Williamson Tobacco Corp.,Matsushita Electric Industries Co.v.Zenith Radio Corporation,and AKZO Chemie BV v.Commission of the European Communities.This model is based on subsequent action game theory models and rational economics behavior,offering a chronological outline of the“predation”stages.It presents the predator’s decisions,the prey’s potential responses,possible loops,and the two distinctive outcomes.The analysis of the model in context of the three case studies demonstrates its practicality in assessing real-life predatory pricing scenarios and players’strategies.It’s flexibility also allows applications in related fields.Overall,this paper offers a comprehensive framework that bridges the gap between law,economics,and game theory in the study of predatory pricing,informing future research in this area.

MDGA2 Constrains Glutamatergic Inputs Selectively onto CA1 Pyramidal Neurons to Optimize Neural Circuits for Plasticity,Memory,and Social Behavior

Synapse organizers are essential for the development,transmission,and plasticity of synapses.Acting as rare synapse suppressors,the MAM domain containing glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor(MDGA)proteins contributes to synapse organization by inhibiting the formation of the synaptogenic neuroligin-neurexin complex.A previous analysis of MDGA2 mice lacking a single copy of Mdga2 revealed upregulated glutamatergic synapses and behaviors consistent with autism.However,MDGA2 is expressed in diverse cell types and is localized to both excitatory and inhibitory synapses.Differentiating the network versus cell-specific effects of MDGA2 loss-of-function requires a cell-type and brain region-selective strategy.To address this,we generated mice harboring a conditional knockout of Mdga2 restricted to CA1 pyramidal neurons.Here we report that MDGA2 suppresses the density and function of excitatory synapses selectively on pyramidal neurons in the mature hippocampus.Conditional deletion of Mdga2 in CA1 pyramidal neurons of adult mice upregulated miniature and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials,vesicular glutamate transporter 1 intensity,and neuronal excitability.These effects were limited to glutamatergic synapses as no changes were detected in miniature and spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic potential properties or vesicular GABA transporter intensity.Functionally,evoked basal synaptic transmission and AMPAR receptor currents were enhanced at glutamatergic inputs.At a behavioral level,memory appeared to be compromised in Mdga2 cKO mice as both novel object recognition and contextual fear conditioning performance were impaired,consistent with deficits in long-term potentiation in the CA3-CA1 pathway.Social affiliation,a behavioral analog of social deficits in autism,was similarly compromised.These results demonstrate that MDGA2 confines the properties of excitatory synapses to CA1 neurons in mature hippocampal circuits,thereby optimizing this network for plasticity,cognition,and social behaviors.

Oxytocin and early parent-infant interactions: A systematic review

Objectives: Social relationships throughout lifespan are critical for health and wellbeing.Oxytocin,often called the'hormone of attachment'has been suggested as playing an important role in early-life nurturing and resulting social bonding.The objective of this paper is to synthesize the associations between oxytocin levels and interactions between infants and parents that may trigger oxytocin release,and in turn facilitate attachments.Methods: A comprehensive cross-disciplinary systematic search was completed using electronic data-bases.The inclusion criteria included studies that focused on mother-infant and father-infant interaction and measured both baseline and post-interaction oxytocin levels.Results: Seventeen studies were included in the final systematic review.The reviewed studies used mother-infant and/or father-infant play and skin-to-skin contact between maternal-infant and paternalinfant dyads to examine the oxytocin role in early life bonding and parenting processes.Studies showed a positive correlation between parent-infant contact and oxytocin levels in infancy period.Increased maternal oxytocin levels were significantly related to more affectionate contact behaviors in mothers following mother-infant contact,synchrony,and engagement.Meanwhile,increased paternal oxytocin levels were found to be related to more stimulatory contact behaviors in fathers following father-infant contact.Oxytocin levels significantly increased in infants,mothers and fathers during skin-to-skin contact and parents with higher oxytocin levels exhibited more synchrony and responsiveness in their infant interactions.Conclusion: The review suggests that oxytocin plays an important role in the development of attachment between infants and parents through early contact and interaction.The complexities of oxytocinergic mechanisms are rooted in neurobiological,genetic,and social factors.

The social determinants of health influencing obesity for the aged in the Pakpoon community context:A qualitative study

Objective:This study aimed to describe the social determinants of health influencing obesity for the aged in a community context and based on the perspectives of various stakeholders.Methods:This was qualitative content analysis study using data from the focus group,individual in-depth interview,and observation.The study population was domiciled in Pakpoon Village,Mung Dis-trict,Nakhon Si Thammarat Province,a tight-knit settlement typical of most retirement communities.Data were collected through two focus group discussions,direct observation,and in-depth interviews with 19 participants.Respondents represented key community groups:local nurses and public health officers,elderly residents,family caregivers(family members),and village health volunteers.Results:The participants shared similar perspectives about the social determinants of health influencing obesity in the aged,which spanned three themes.These were:1)neighborhood food environment(easy access to unhealthy food,no choice to recruit healthy food);2)social networks influencing obesity(family affects food choices and prohibitions on exercise;belief,and socially imposed body image per-ceptions contributing to obesity in the aged);and 3)knowledge,attitudes,and beliefs behind lifestyle choices that cause obesity in the elderly(lack of awareness,personal attitudes,job and familial duties as barriers to engaging in physical activities;over-consumption behaviors lead to obesity in older people).Conclusion:These three themes were the root causes of obesity in the elderly in Pakpoon’s retirement community.This finding suggests that policymakers and nurses can create healthy environments,both to treat and prevent obesity,by raising awareness in younger generations,providing aging the provision of healthy food choices for older adults,encouraging health care professionals to share knowledge,and by modifying the attitudes and beliefs of both caregivers and older adults.

Inhalation of Cananga odorata essential oil relieves anxiety behaviors in autism-like rats via regulation of serotonin and dopamine metabolism

Objective:Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms associated with autistic spectrum disorder.The essential oil of Cananga odorata(Lam.)Hook.f.&Thomson,usually known as ylang-ylang oil(YYO),is often used in aromatherapy as a mood-regulating agent,sedative,or hypotensive agent.In the present study,the effects and mechanisms of YYO in alleviating anxiety,social and cognitive behaviors in autism-like rats were investigated.Methods:The prenatal valproic acid(VPA)model was used to induce autism-like behaviors in offspring rats.The effectiveness of prenatal sodium valproate treatment(600 mg/kg)on offspring was shown by postnatal growth observation,and negative geotaxis,olfactory discrimination and Morris water maze(MWM)tests.Then three treatment groups were formed with varying exposure to atomized YYO to explore the effects of YYO on the anxiety,social and cognitive behaviors of the autistic-like offspring through the elevated plus-maze test,three-chamber social test,and MWM test.Finally,the monoamine neurotransmitters,including serotonin,dopamine and their metabolites,in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex(PFC)of the rats were measured using a high-performance liquid chromatography.Results:Offspring of VPA exposure rats showed autism-like behaviors.In the VPA offspring,mediumdose YYO exposure significantly elevated the time and entries into the open arms in the elevated plusmaze test,while low-dose YYO exposure significantly enhanced the social interaction time with the stranger rat in session 1 of the three-chamber social test.VPA offspring treated with YYO exposure used less time to reach the platform in the navigation test of the MWM test.YYO exposure significantly elevated the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine in the PFC of VPA offspring.Conclusion:YYO exposure showed the effects in alleviating anxiety and improving cognitive and social abilities in the offspring of VPA exposure rats.The role of YYO was related to the regulation of the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine.

Travel Motivation of Domestic Tourists to the Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve in Northeastern China: A Comparative Study

This article seeks to develop a fuller understanding of the social and attraction motives of domestic tourists who visit the Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve(CMBR) in Northeastern China. To do so, ecotourists are compared to general travelers visiting this area. A questionnaire was employed to collect data on visitor characteristics and motivations, responses to which were then analyzed via descriptive statistics, T-tests and principal component factor analysis. Results showed that 16% of the visitors to this area were classified as ecotourists, while the remainder general travelers. Five motivations displayed significant differences(P<0.05) between these two types of tourists. Three social motives – boosting self-confidence, feeling at home away from home and being together with family – and two attraction motives – indoor sports and viewing unique landscapes of the CMBR(crater lake, waterfall, gorge and hot spring) – were significantly more important for general travelers(P<0.05); while two social motives of experiencing the tranquility of the natural setting and the natural beauty of the landscape were relatively more important for ecotourists(P<0.1). Results suggest that ecotourists have distinct and complicated attraction and social motives compared to general travelers visiting the CMBR. Results have useful implications for researchers interested in tourist motivations and behavior, as well as for managers who wish to focus their marketing strategies more effectively. National Park of South Africa. Uysal et al.(1994) assessed the travel motives of Australian tourists to U.S. national parks and nature areas and formed five groupings including ‘relaxation/hobbies', ‘novelty', ‘enhancement of kinship relationship', ‘escape', and ‘prestige'. Tao et al.(2004) analyzed motivations of Asian tourists travelling to Taiwan's Taroko National Park using a self-defined approach and found that the most significant benefits sought by self-defined ecotourists are ‘learning about nature' and ‘participating in recreation activities'. Beh and Bruyere(2007) analyzed visitor motivations in three Kenyan national reserves, identifying the three most prominent kinds of tourists as escapers, learners and spiritualists. Pan and Ryan(2007) used factor analysis to reveal five motivational dimensions –‘relaxation', ‘social needs', ‘a sense of belonging', ‘mastery skills', and ‘intellectual needs' – of visitors to the Pirongia Forest Park in New Zealand. Kruger and Saayman(2010) did a comparative study on travel motivations of tourists to Kruger and Tsitsikamma National Parks in South Africa and found that common motives of tourists were ‘escape and relaxation' as well as ‘knowledge seeking', ‘nostalgia' and ‘park attributes'. Despite these efforts, on an overall basis past literature on why visitors travel to national parks and nature areas is still rather limited. In China, a number of empirical studies on tourist motivations have been conducted since the early 1990s(Chen and Miao 2006; Dong 2011; Huang et al. 2011; Jeffrey and Xie 1994; Lu 1997; Ma et al. 2013; Zhang 2012). Some studies have focused on motivations of visitors to nature reserves(Li 2007), geological parks(Chen and Qiao 2010), world heritage sites(Su et al. 2005), and seismic memorial sites(Tang 2014). However, most previous research findings on tourist motivations are not comparable, reflecting the fact that visitors to different parks have quite different motives due to the attributes of particular destinations, the geographic locations of these parks, types of available activities, marketing strategies, and the complexity of travel motives(Chen and Qiao 2010; Pan and Ryan 2007). While it is true that certain motivations were shared in varying degrees by most tourists to these places – i.e., ‘appreciating natural landscapes', ‘family and education', ‘social needs', and ‘perceived prestige of visit' – most previous research has not focused on natural settings as destinations. Thus travel motivations of tourists to these areas must be further explored and clarified in relation to impacts on particular natural areas and patterns of market segmentation. As one of the earliest and largest natural reserves established in China, the Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve(CMBR) has long been a draw not only for domestic tourists but also for international visitors, and tourism to the area has been growing steadily since 1980. With the number of visitors to the reserve having climbed to 2.44 million in 2010(Statistical Communiqué of the Changbai Mountain Protection and Development Zone of Jilin Province 2011), it has become imperative for local government officials and reserve wardens to understand tourists' desires and interests when identifying tourism development opportunities. However, the existing literature still suffers from a lack of empirical studies that investigate why people travel to the CMBR and whether tourist motives differ between groups such as ecotourists and general travelers. The target population for this study consists of domestic visitors to the CMBR. The goals of this research include:(1) to identify the social and attraction motives of domestic tourists that influence decisions to visit the CMBR;(2) to explore whether there are any differences between the motivations of these two types of tourists; and(3) to provide some useful management implications for local government and tourism marketers.

Narratives of Spatial Division： The Role of Social Memory in Shaping Urban Space in Belfast

The paper examines the role of shared spaces in divided cities in promoting future sustainable communities and spaces described as inclusive to all. It addresses the current challenges that prevent such inclusiveness and suggests future trends of its development to be of benefit to the wider city community. It explains how spaces in divided cities are carved up into perceived ownerships and territorialized areas, which increases tension on the shared space between territories; the control of which can often lead to inter-community disputes. The paper reports that common shared space in-between conflicting communities takes on increased importance since the nature of the conflict places emphasis on communities＇ confidence, politically and socially, while also highlighting the necessity for confidence in inclusion and feeling secure in the public domain. In order to achieve sustainable environments, strategies to promote shared spaces require further focus on the significance of everyday dynamics as essential aspects for future integration and conflict resolution.

School Boarding and Students'Prosocial Behaviors:Evidence from Rural China

This study investigated the efects of boarding at school on students'prosocial behaviors in rural China using data from the National Children's Study of China.The instrumental variable(IV)approach was used to control for potential endogeneity,and the IVs were the proportion of boarding students in higher grades and the school area per student.The ordinary least squares and IV estimates showed that boarding students exhibited more prosocial behaviors,including compliance with rules,positive traits,and altruistic attitudes.These results were robust.Heterogeneity analyses suggested that students from low-income families,children who were not"left behind,"high-grade students,and female students were more likely to benefit from boarding.We found that these effects were primarily due to boarding students developing stronger feelings of trust and support from their peers and teachers and participating in more school-organized events and team activities.

Social networks of reintroduced Przewalski's horses in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (Mongolia)

Analyzing social networks is a powerful tool for understanding the ecology of social species.While most studies focus on the role of each group member,few compare groups with different characteristics.The current population of Przewalski's horses Equus ferus przewalskii at the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area(Mongolia)includes groups of wild-born and captive-bred individuals with different experiences with the area(acclimatizing,long-term reintroduced,and wild-born),therefore serving as an ideal natural behavioral lab.We filmed 11 groups for 141.5 hours in summer 2018(July),late spring 2019(May,June),and autumn 2019(September,October).Affiliative and agonistic interactions were recorded,and social networks were created.We tested the influence of origin,experience,season,sex,age,relative time belonging to the group,relat-edness,and dominance rank on different network indices at the individual and group levels.We found that groups with greater experience in the area are generally better connected than members of the newly formed groups.However,these strong networks were created by wild-born individuals with very low interaction rates.On the contrary,inexperienced groups composed of captive-bred individuals displayed many inter actions but created weak social networks.The results show a trend of behavioral transition from acclimatizing through long-term reintroduced to wild-born groups,supporting that the newly formed groups of released Przewalski's horses need time to display the typical social behavior patterns of wild-born individuals.Long-term monitoring of released Przewalski's horses is recommended to promote the success of this reintroduction program.

Neural circuit control of innate behaviors

All animals possess a plethora of innate behaviors that do not require extensive learning and are fundamental for their survival and propagation.With the advent of newly-developed techniques such as viral tracing and optogenetic and chemogenetic tools,recent studies are gradually unraveling neural circuits underlying different innate behaviors.Here,we summarize current development in our understanding of the neural circuits controlling predation,feeding,male-typical mating,and urination,highlighting the role of genetically defined neurons and their connections in sensory triggering,sensory to motor/motivation transformation,motor/motivation encoding during these different behaviors.Along the way,we discuss possible mechanisms underlying binge-eating disorder and the pro-social effects of the neuropeptide oxytocin,elucidating the clinical relevance of studying neural circuits underlying essential innate functions.Finally,we discuss some exciting brain structures recurrently appearing in the regulation of different behaviors,which suggests both divergence and convergence in the neural encoding of specific innate behaviors.Going forward,we emphasize the importance of multi-angle and cross-species dissections in delineating neural circuits that control innate behaviors.