Author: admin

Storm Floris forces closure of King Charles’ Balmoral Castle amid severe weather warnings; public urged to stay safe

One of the royal family’s most beloved residences, Balmoral Castle, has been temporarily closed due to dangerous weather brought by Storm Floris. The estate, nestled in the heart of Aberdeenshire, issued an official statement on August 4, advising the public not to travel to the castle due to safety concerns, reported the Mirror US.

“Balmoral will be closed to the public today, Monday, August 4, due to Storm Floris. Please do not travel to the Estate. We will be issuing refunds for tickets to visit today. Stay safe, everyone,” read a post on the official Balmoral Instagram account.

Weather warnings in place as storm hits Scotland

The UK’s Met Office issued amber and yellow alerts for wind across large parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to another People report. Winds of 50 to 70 mph are expected inland, while coastal and elevated areas may see gusts reaching 90 mph. The Met Office described the storm as unusually intense for the region, raising a ‘danger to life’ warning due to falling debris and potential travel disruption.

Summer visits disrupted

The sudden closure has impacted tourists hoping to explore historic castle grounds, gardens, and the popular Ballroom Exhibition 2025. Balmoral has been open to the public since April 1 and was set to close for the season on Sunday, August 10, ahead of the royal family’s annual summer retreat to the Highlands.

The final days of public access were expected to draw crowds, but Storm Floris has cut those plans short. Guests who had booked tickets for August 4 will receive full refunds.

Royal family’s Scottish summer retreat underway

A week has passed since King Charles arrived in Scotland. On July 28, in Thurso, close to Castle of Mey, where he is reportedly residing currently, the monarch held a reception for Caithness communities. Visitors are not permitted to enter the Castle of Mey until August 8.

Balmoral Castle was historically favored by Queen Victoria, and the late Queen Elizabeth II remains an important royal family site. King Charles often resides in Birkhall, his residence on the Balmoral Estate.

FAQs

Q: What condition does King Charles have?

A: King Charles was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. Specific details have not been disclosed, but the Palace has confirmed he is undergoing treatment.

Q: Why does King Charles refuse to give Kate a title?

A: This is inaccurate. Kate Middleton holds the title of Princess of Wales, a title traditionally given to the wife of the heir apparent.

Q: What’s going on with King Charles?

A: King Charles has resumed light public duties following his cancer diagnosis and is currently in Scotland for the summer break.

Q: Why is King Charles not allowed to go to the Pope’s funeral?

A: There is no known restriction. Attendance at international events depends on diplomatic and personal considerations, often handled on a case-by-case basis by the Palace.

Continue Reading

August 4, 2025
Car finance redress plan ‘impractical’, says trade body

Emer Moreau

Business reporter, BBC News

Getty Images

The financial regulator’s proposed compensation scheme for car finance mis-selling is “completely impractical”, the trade body for the industry has said.

The boss of the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) told the BBC there was concerns over the redress scheme potentially covering loans from as far back as 2007, as firms and customers may not have kept records.

It comes after a Supreme Court ruling narrowed the scope on potential payouts over hidden commissions on car loans. However, its judgement left open possible redress for millions of drivers.

The regulator will start consulting in October on the issue of compensation, although it said victims were likely to get less than £950 per deal.

The share prices of some of the main car finance lenders surged on Monday following the ruling, which narrowed the scope of potential payouts.

Shares in Lloyds jumped up 9% while Close Brothers soared by 20%. The two banks had set aside £1.15bn and £165m respectively for potential compensation.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said on Monday it anticipates requiring firms “as far as possible” to make customers aware of their eligibility and what they need to do to claim compensation if they are found to have been mis-sold finance.

It also said that any claims “should cover agreements dating back to 2007”.

Up to 14 million people could be eligible for compensation, according to Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert.

But speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, Stephen Hadrill of the FLA said allowing the redress scheme to go back that far was “completely impractical”.

“It’s not just firms that don’t have the details about contracts back then, the customers don’t either,” he said.

“And, if we’re going to have to take careful decisions about who gets compensation, who gets redress, and who doesn’t – you need that information.”

The head of the FCA, Nikhil Rathi, refused to rule out the possibility that drivers could lose out on compensation because of lost paperwork.

Mr Rathi told BBC Breakfast some contentious cases could be solved through the courts, but only if one or the other party involved had at least some details.

“We’re going to have to work through those issues in the consultation where one or the other party doesn’t have all the details. That is one of the challenges here.”

What will be classed as unfair?

The judgement left open the possibility of compensation claims for particularly large commissions which the Supreme Court said were unfair.

But Mr Hadrill said there was uncertainty over what might be considered an “unfair” agreement, as the Supreme Court said a number of factors had to be considered.

“I don’t think this scheme comes up with a solution to how you look at a whole range of factors [for loans]… and the FCA really needs to do that.”

He said the FCA’s compensation plan “looks like a one-size-fits-all scheme, but that isn’t what the court decided”.

The FCA’s Mr Rathi said the watchdog had to “make a judgement about that based on what the Supreme Court has given us and they have said different characteristics determine what’s unfair”.

These measures could be the level of commission, how it was disclosed, and the characteristics of a consumer.

The FCA estimates the total cost of such a scheme will cost between £9bn and £18bn. Separate analysis from RBC Capital Markets estimates the total cost could be £11.5bn.

The finance industry is expected to cover the full costs of any potential compensation scheme, including any administrative costs.

The FLA’s Mr Hadrill warned the “cost will have to be absorbed somewhere”.

“Ultimately, the more expensive lending becomes, the more expensive borrowing becomes for the consumer.”

The FCA has said it expects “a healthy finance market for new and used cars to continue notwithstanding any redress scheme we propose”.

The FCA has said that customers who are concerned that they may have been treated unfairly should contact their lender to make a complaint.

However, it told they do not need to use a claims management company (CMC) or a law firm to take part in any compensation scheme it sets up.

It warned that people signing up to a CMC might end up paying up to 30% in fees out of any compensation they could receive.

Worse-case scenario ‘swerved’

The decision by the Supreme Court to side with finance companies in two out of three crucial test cases on Friday, means the total bill for the mis-selling will be a lot less than some had feared.

Lenders – including some of the UK’s biggest banks and specialist motor finance firms – had already set aside more than £2bn for potential payouts ahead of the court ruling.

In a statement, Lloyds – which has already put aside nearly £1.2bn to cover potential costs – said “if there is any change to the provision it is unlikely to be material in the context of the Group”.

Russ Mould at AJ Bell said the “worst-case scenario, like a particularly ugly pothole, has been swerved”.

“This wasn’t a complete win for the industry, with lenders still potentially on the hook if the relationship with customers meets the threshold of being unfair.”

However, he added: “Essentially, while this issue could still cause some damage, it looks unlikely to be a repeat of the PPI scandal which blighted the banking industry in the 2010s.”

Continue Reading

August 4, 2025
Pindi administration bans assemblies, gatherings for week ahead of tomorrow’s PTI protest – Pakistan
The Rawalpindi administration on Monday banned all assemblies and gatherings for a week, citing an “imminent threat”, ahead of the PTI’s planned nationwide August 5 protest.

Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at the Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023. He has issued a nationwide protest call, which will reach its “peak” on Aug 5 to mark the second year of his incarceration in multiple cases.

Imran has decried the lack of any “meaningful momentum” for the protest and ordered PTI members to immediately shun all their differences. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja previously said the party has no plans to gather workers at a specific place for the Aug 5 agitation, and instead it will protest at different locations across the country.

An order issued today from Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema said it was brought to his attention by the District Intelligence Committee (DIC) that there was an “imminent threat” within the limits of Rawalpindi district — particularly surrounding sensitive installations, prominent roads and other critical infrastructures — that may pose a serious risk to human life, public property, and the overall peace and order of the district.

“The DIC has reported specific intelligence suggesting that certain groups and elements are actively mobilising with intentions to disturb the law and order situation through large gatherings, protests, and disruptive assemblies,” the order read.

“The forum further indicates that these elements may target soft locations and mobilise individuals with the potential to engage in violent actions near key installations and other sensitive sites, thereby endangering the public peace and tranquillity,” it added.

It continued that it was essential to ensure the security of the people and installations and buildings against any potential threat or untoward activity, in the larger interest of public safety, security, peace and tranquility to avoid any untoward incident.

DC Cheema said that he was prohibiting the following activities within the district from Aug 4-10 under Section 144 (power to issue order absolute at once in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the Code of Criminal Procedure:
- Assemblies, gatherings, sits-in, rallies, processions, demonstrations, protests and such other activities with a gathering of five or more people
- Carrying weapons, spikes, laden batons, gaulails, ball bearings, petrol bombs, improvised explosives or any other instrument that could potentially be used for violence
- Displaying arms and objectionable and hateful speeches
- Attempting to remove any restriction imposed by a police officer to regulate the assembly of people or the movement of traffic
- Pillion riding.
- Using loudspeakers
Separately, the Adiala Jail superintendent requested the Rawalpindi city police officer to beef up security.

“It is awfully brought into your notice that PTI political worker, family members, especially sister of PTI leader are used to protest against the Jail administration and other state institutions, particularly outside the Jail. It has come to our attention through electronic/social media that PTI leadership is planning to stage a protest outside this jail tomorrow on Tuesday, which could potentially lead to an untoward incident,” the request read.

“Given the sensitivity of the situation, it is imperative to strengthen the outer security of the jail to maintain law and order. Proactive measures must be taken to identify and apprehend any miscreants involved in organising this protest,” it added.

“Furthermore, strict action should be enforced to prevent such gatherings near the jail premises to avoid any disruption or security risks. Additional police guard deployment, barricades, and surveillance may be necessary to deter unlawful assemblies and ensure the safety of the facility. Your prompt attention to this matter is highly appreciated. Therefore, it has become a dire need of the hour to beef up the security (from all sides) of the jail to evade an unpleasant situation in future.”

It urged that, in light of the above, additional personnel be deployed at the jail and its surrounding areas urgently to strengthen the facility’s outer security under the supervision of police officers so that any unpleasant incident could be avoided.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said in an interview on Geo News show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ said the federal government had received a request two days ago, but no one had followed up on it despite attempts by the Islamabad administration to contact the sender.

He said there were opposing narratives and viewpoints coming from within the PTI about the nature of the protest, adding that the party should not blame the government for its own “internal division and weakness”. Chaudhry said the government was “clear” that any protest was the PTI’s right.

The state minister questioned why the administration was not directly contacted and the party did not give legal cover to its protest.

The PTI had approached the Lahore High Court last week, seeking permission to hold a public rally at Minar-i-Pakistan on Aug 5.

It has also submitted a request to the Islamabad administration for holding a workers’ convention at F-9 Park tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the capital police have begun preparations. Officers had told Dawn.com that in the first phase, the Anti-Riot Unit of the police started exercises, physical training and refresher anti-riot courses at the Police Lines Headquarters.

Over a thousand personnel of the unit are undergoing refresher courses. The courses include physical training and exercises to make them fit and respond to the protesters with full energy.

Besides, they are also doing refresher courses on the usage and handling of anti-riot kits. They are getting training regarding the usage of shields to protect themselves and the force from stones and other objects that may be pelted at them.

Furthermore, they are also being trained on how to intercept mobs at certain points, cordon them off and disperse them. They are also learning how to deal with troublemakers and protesters taking law and order into their hands.

On the other hand, police have also started collecting details of local PTI leaders and activists besides keeping an eye on their activities. The intelligence units of the police have mounted surveillance over the leaders and hardcore members of the PTI.

Surveillance at all hotels, motels, inns and guest houses along with cthe apital’s suburbs and outskirts has also been increased to monitor the PTI workers’ activities and get information about their stay and gatherings. The police intelligence units were also asked to prepare fresh lists of local PTI leaders.
Continue Reading
August 4, 2025
Altered inter-hemispheric and intra-hemispheric functional connectivity dynamics in male cigarette smokers | BMC Psychiatry
Corley J, Cox SR, Harris SE, Hernandez MV, Maniega SM, Bastin ME, Wardlaw JM, Starr JM, Marioni RE, Deary IJ. Epigenetic signatures of smoking associate with cognitive function, brain structure, and mental and physical health outcomes in the Lothian birth cohort 1936. Transl Psychiatry. 2019;9(1):248. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-019-0576-5.

Article

Google Scholar
Jha P, Peto R. Global effects of smoking, of quitting, and of taxing tobacco. N Engl J Med. 2014;370(1):60–8. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1308383.

Article

Google Scholar
Shen Z, Huang P, Wang C, Qian W, Yang Y, Zhang M. Cerebellar Gray matter reductions associate with decreased functional connectivity in Nicotine-Dependent individuals. Nicotine Tob Research: Official J Soc Res Nicotine Tob. 2018;20(4):440–7. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntx168.

Article

Google Scholar
Zhang M, Gao X, Yang Z, Han S, Zhou B, Niu X, Wang W, Wei Y, Cheng J, Zhang Y. Abnormal resting-state effective connectivity in reward network among long-term male smokers. Addict Biol. 2022;27(5):e13221. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.13221.

Article

Google Scholar
Güntürkün O, Ströckens F, Ocklenburg S. Brain lateralization: A comparative perspective. Physiol Rev. 2020;100(3):1019–63. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00006.2019.

Article

Google Scholar
Mengotti P, Käsbauer A, Fink G, Vossel S. Lateralization, functional specialization, and dysfunction of attentional networks. Cortex. 2020;132:206–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.08.022.

Article

Google Scholar
Froeliger B, Modlin L, Kozink R, Wang L, Garland E, Addicott M, McClernon F. Frontoparietal attentional network activation differs between smokers and nonsmokers during affective cognition. Psychiatry Res. 2013;211(1):57–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2012.05.002.

Article

Google Scholar
Savjani RR, Velasquez KM, Thompson-Lake DG, Baldwin PR, Eagleman DM, De La Garza R 2nd, Salas R. Characterizing white matter changes in cigarette smokers via diffusion tensor imaging. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014;145:134–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.10.006.

Article

Google Scholar
Xiang S, Jia T, Xie C, Cheng W, Chaarani B, Banaschewski T, Barker G, Bokde A, Büchel C, Desrivières S, Flor H, Grigis A, Gowland P, Brühl R, Martinot J, Martinot M, Nees F, Orfanos D, Poustka L, Hohmann S, Fröhner J, Smolka M, Vaidya N, Walter H, Whelan R, Garavan H, Schumann G, Sahakian B, Robbins T, Feng J. Association between VmPFC Gray matter volume and smoking initiation in adolescents. Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):4684. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40079-2.

Article

Google Scholar
Yu D, Yuan K, Bi Y, Luo L, Zhai J, Liu B, Li Y, Cheng J, Guan Y, Xue T, Bu L, Su S, Ma Y, Qin W, Tian J, Lu X. Altered interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity in young male smokers. Addict Biol. 2018;23(2):772–80. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.12515.

Article

Google Scholar
Olga M, Jinsoo U, Daniel L, Hanzhang L, Michael PM, Yulin G. The influence of mild carbon dioxide on brain functional homotopy using resting-state fMRI. Hum Brain Mapp. 2015;36(10). https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.22886.
Chen H, Mo S. Regional homogeneity changes in nicotine addicts by Resting-State fMRI. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(1):e0170143. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170143.

Article

Google Scholar
Wang C, Zhang Y, Yan C, Sun M, Cheng J. The thalamo-cortical resting state functional connectivity and abstinence-induced craving in young smokers. Brain Imaging Behav. 2018;12(5):1450–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-017-9809-5.

Article

Google Scholar
Yu R, Zhao L, Tian J, Qin W, Wang W, Yuan K, Li Q, Lu L. Regional homogeneity changes in heavy male smokers: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Addict Biol. 2013;18(4):729–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1369-1600.2011.00359.x.

Article

Google Scholar
Zhou S, Xiao D, Peng P, Wang S, Liu Z, Qin H, Li S, Wang C. Effect of smoking on resting-state functional connectivity in smokers: an fMRI study. Respirol (Carlton Vic). 2017;22(6):1118–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/resp.13048.

Article

Google Scholar
Tomasi D, Volkow N. Functional connectivity hubs in the human brain. NeuroImage. 2011;57(3):908–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.05.024.

Article

Google Scholar
Dardo T, Nora DV. Functional connectivity density mapping. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010;107(21). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1001414107.
Yang Z, Wen M, Wei Y, Huang H, Zheng R, Wang W, Gao X, Zhang M, Cheng J, Han S, Zhang Y. Alternations in dynamic and static functional connectivity density in chronic smokers. Front Psychiatry. 2022;13:843254. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.843254.

Article

Google Scholar
Hare S, Adhikari B, Du X, Garcia L, Bruce H, Kochunov P, Simon J, Hong L. Local versus long-range connectivity patterns of auditory disturbance in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2021;228:262–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2020.11.052.

Article

Google Scholar
Lee J, Kyeong S, Kim E, Cheon K. Abnormalities of Inter- and Intra-Hemispheric functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorders: A study using the autism brain imaging data exchange database. Front NeuroSci. 2016;10:191. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2016.00191.

Article

Google Scholar
Elena AA, Eswar D, Sergey MP, Erik BE, Tom E, Vince DC. Tracking whole-brain connectivity dynamics in the resting state. Cereb Cortex. 2012;24(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhs352.
Hui Juan C, Rongfeng Q, Jun K, Jie Q, Qiang X, Zhiqiang Z, Yuan Z, Guang Ming L, Feng C. Altered dynamic parahippocampus functional connectivity in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2020;22(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/15622975.2020.1785006.
Xixiu N, Jiabao Z, Mingsheng S, Linjia W, Tao X, Qian Z, Xiao W, Ziwen W, Huaqiang L, Yimei H, Qing G, Ling Z. Abnormal dynamics of functional connectivity density associated with chronic neck pain. Front Mol Neurosci. 2022;15(0). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2022.880228.
Victor MV, Barbara JW, Kent EH, Vince DC. The impact of combinations of alcohol, nicotine, and Cannabis on dynamic brain connectivity. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017;43(4). https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2017.280.
Guo X, Duan X, Chen H, He C, Xiao J, Han S, Fan YS, Guo J, Chen H. Altered inter- and intrahemispheric functional connectivity dynamics in autistic children. Hum Brain Mapp. 2019;41(2):419–28. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.24812.

Article

Google Scholar
Fu Z, Tu Y, Di X, Du Y, Pearlson G, Turner J, Biswal B, Zhang Z, Calhoun V. Characterizing dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and its relationship with dynamic functional connectivity: an application to schizophrenia. NeuroImage. 2018;180:619–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.09.035.

Article

Google Scholar
Jiang Y, Chen Y, Zheng R, Zhou B, Wei Y, Gao A, Wei Y, Li S, Guo J, Han S, Zhang Y, Cheng J. More than just statics: Temporal dynamic changes in Inter- and intrahemispheric functional connectivity in First-Episode, Drug-Naive patients with major depressive disorder. Front Hum Neurosci. 2022;16:868135. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2022.868135.

Article

Google Scholar
Wen M, Yang Z, Wei Y, Huang H, Zheng R, Wang W, Gao X, Zhang M, Fang K, Zhang Y, Cheng J, Han S. More than just statics: Temporal dynamic changes of intrinsic brain activity in cigarette smoking. Addict Biol. 2021;26(6):e13050. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.13050.

Article

Google Scholar
de Leon J, Diaz F, Becoña E, Gurpegui M, Jurado D, Gonzalez-Pinto A. Exploring brief measures of nicotine dependence for epidemiological surveys. Addict Behav. 2003;28(8):1481–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4603(02)00264-2.

Article

Google Scholar
Wu G, Yang S, Zhu L, Lin F. Altered spontaneous brain activity in heavy smokers revealed by regional homogeneity. Psychopharmacology. 2015;232(14):2481–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-3881-6.

Article

Google Scholar
He H, Pan L, Cui Z, Sun J, Yu C, Cao Y, Wang Y, Shan G. Smoking prevalence, patterns, and cessation among adults in Hebei province, central china: implications from China National health survey (CNHS). Front Public Health. 2020;8:177. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00177.

Article

Google Scholar
Heatherton TF, Kozlowski LT, Frecker RC, Fagerström KO. The Fagerström test for nicotine dependence: a revision of the Fagerström tolerance questionnaire. Br J Addict. 1991;86(9):1119–27.

Google Scholar
Radzius A, Gallo JJ, Epstein DH, Gorelick DA, Cadet JL, Uhl GE, Moolchan ET. A factor analysis of the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND). Nicotine Tob Res. 2003;5(2):255–240. https://doi.org/10.1080/1462220031000073289.

Article

Google Scholar
Jiang H, Li S, Yang J. Work stress and depressive symptoms in fishermen with a smoking habit: A mediator role of nicotine dependence and possible moderator role of expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal. Front Psychol. 2018;9:386. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00386.

Article

Google Scholar
Zhang MZ, Gao XY, Yang ZG, Wang WJ, Xu K, Cheng JL, Zhang Y. Analysis of effective connectivity in default mode network in male long-term smokers based on dynamic causal modeling. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2022;102(35):2769–73. https://doi.org/10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20220705-01486.

Article

Google Scholar
Merideth AA, Maggie MS, Brett F, Jed ER, Francis JM. Increased functional connectivity in an Insula-Based network is associated with improved smoking cessation outcomes. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2015;40(11). https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.114.
Power JD, Barnes KA, Snyder AZ, Schlaggar BL, Petersen SE. Spurious but systematic correlations in functional connectivity MRI networks arise from subject motion. NeuroImage. 2012;59(3):2142–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.10.018.

Article

Google Scholar
Preti M, Bolton T, Van De Ville D. The dynamic functional connectome: State-of-the-art and perspectives. NeuroImage. 2017;160:41–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.061.

Article

Google Scholar
Nora L, Dimitri VDV. On spurious and real fluctuations of dynamic functional connectivity during rest. NeuroImage. 2014;104(0). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.09.007.
Wei Y, Han S, Chen J, Wang C, Wang W, Li H, Song X, Xue K, Zhang Y, Cheng J. Abnormal interhemispheric and intrahemispheric functional connectivity dynamics in drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia patients with auditory verbal hallucinations. Hum Brain Mapp. 2022;43(14):4347–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25958.

Article

Google Scholar
Bezdek M, Gerrig R, Wenzel W, Shin J, Pirog Revill K, Schumacher E. Neural evidence that suspense narrows attentional focus. Neuroscience. 2015;303:338–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.06.055.

Article

Google Scholar
Palejwala A, Dadario N, Young I, O’Connor K, Briggs R, Conner A, O’Donoghue D, Sughrue M. Anatomy and white matter connections of the lingual gyrus and cuneus. World Neurosurg. 2021;151:e426–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2021.04.050.

Article

Google Scholar
Weiner K, Zilles K. The anatomical and functional specialization of the fusiform gyrus. Neuropsychologia. 2016;83:48–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.06.033.

Article

Google Scholar
Marks K, Alcorn J, Stoops W, Rush C. Cigarette cue attentional Bias in Cocaine-Smoking and Non-Cocaine-Using cigarette smokers. Nicotine & tobacco research. Official J Soc Res Nicotine Tob. 2016;18(9):1915–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntw026.

Article

Google Scholar
Wilcockson T, Pothos E, Osborne A, Crawford T. Top-down and bottom-up attentional biases for smoking-related stimuli: comparing dependent and non-dependent smokers. Addict Behav. 2021;118:106886. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.106886.

Article

Google Scholar
Buschschulte A, Boehler C, Strumpf H, Stoppel C, Heinze H, Schoenfeld M, Hopf J. Reward- and attention-related biasing of sensory selection in visual cortex. J Cogn Neurosci. 2014;26(5):1049–65. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_00539.

Article

Google Scholar
Havermans A, van Schayck O, Vuurman E, Riedel W, van den Hurk J. Nicotine deprivation elevates neural representation of smoking-related cues in object-sensitive visual cortex: a proof of concept study. Psychopharmacology. 2017;234(16):2375–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-017-4628-3.

Article

Google Scholar
Xin D, Yongxin Y, Peihong G, Xin Q, Guijin D, Yang Z, Xiaodong L, Quan Z. Compensatory increase of functional connectivity density in adolescents with internet gaming disorder. Brain Imaging Behav. 2016;11(6). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-016-9655-x.
Luo L, Xiao M, Luo Y, Yi H, Dong D, Liu Y, Chen X, Li W, Chen H. Knowing what you feel: inferior frontal gyrus-based structural and functional neural patterns underpinning adaptive body awareness. J Affect Disord. 2022;315:224–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.051.

Article

Google Scholar
Vartanian O, Beatty E, Smith I, Blackler K, Lam Q, Forbes S. One-way traffic: the inferior frontal gyrus controls brain activation in the middle Temporal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule during divergent thinking. Neuropsychologia. 2018;118:68–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.02.024.

Article

Google Scholar
Dixon ML, De La Vega A, Mills C, Andrews-Hanna J, Spreng RN, Cole MW, Christoff K. (2018) Heterogeneity within the frontoparietal control network and its relationship to the default and dorsal attention networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115 (7). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1715766115
Parks M, Greenberg D, Nickel M, Dietrich M, Rogers B, Martin P. Recruitment of additional brain regions to accomplish simple motor tasks in chronic alcohol-dependent patients. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2010;34(6):1098–109. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01186.x.

Article

Google Scholar
Fedota J, Stein E. Resting-state functional connectivity and nicotine addiction: prospects for biomarker development. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2015;1349(1):64–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12882.

Article

Google Scholar
Stefan A, Christiane MT. Effects of nicotine on task switching and distraction in Non-smokers. fMRI Study Neurosci. 2020;444(0). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.07.029.
Goldberg E, Tulviste J. Large-scale distributed networks and cerebral hemispheres. Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system. Behav. 2022;152:53–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2022.03.010.

Article

Google Scholar
Vickery S, Eickhoff S, Friedrich P. Hemispheric specialization of the primate inferior parietal lobule. Neurosci Bull. 2022;38(3):334–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-021-00807-4.

Article

Google Scholar
Vincent J, Kahn I, Snyder A, Raichle M, Buckner R. Evidence for a frontoparietal control system revealed by intrinsic functional connectivity. J Neurophysiol. 2008;100(6):3328–42. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.90355.2008.

Article

Google Scholar
Barrós-Loscertales A, Bustamante J-C, Ventura-Campos N, Llopis J-J, Parcet M-A, Ávila C. Lower activation in the right frontoparietal network during a counting Stroop task in a cocaine-dependent group. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging. 2011;194(2):111–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.05.001.

Article

Google Scholar
Kober H, Mende-Siedlecki P, Kross E, Weber J, Mischel W, Hart C, Ochsner K. Prefrontal-striatal pathway underlies cognitive regulation of craving. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2010;107(33):14811–6. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1007779107.

Article

Google Scholar
Li X, Hartwell K, Borckardt J, Prisciandaro J, Saladin M, Morgan P, Johnson K, Lematty T, Brady K, George M. Volitional reduction of anterior cingulate cortex activity produces decreased cue craving in smoking cessation: a preliminary real-time fMRI study. Addict Biol. 2013;18(4):739–48. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1369-1600.2012.00449.x.

Article

Google Scholar
Peng X, Lin P, Wu X, Gong R, Yang R, Wang J. Insular subdivisions functional connectivity dysfunction within major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2018;227:280–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.11.018.

Article

Google Scholar
Bu L, Yu D, Su S, Ma Y, von Deneen K, Luo L, Zhai J, Liu B, Cheng J, Guan Y, Li Y, Bi Y, Xue T, Lu X, Yuan K. Functional connectivity abnormalities of brain regions with structural deficits in young adult male smokers. Front Hum Neurosci. 2016;10:494. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00494.

Article

Google Scholar
Chen Y, Cui Q, Xie A, Pang Y, Sheng W, Tang Q, Li D, Huang J, He Z, Wang Y, Chen H. Abnormal dynamic functional connectivity density in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. J Affect Disord. 2020;261:49–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.09.084.

Article

Google Scholar
Picard F, Sadaghiani S, Leroy C, Courvoisier D, Maroy R, Bottlaender M. High density of nicotinic receptors in the cingulo-insular network. NeuroImage. 2013;79:42–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.04.074.

Article

Google Scholar
Nasir HN, David R, Hanna D, Antoine B. Damage to the Insula disrupts addiction to cigarette smoking. Science. 2007;315(5811). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1135926.
Zhang R, Volkow ND. Brain default-mode network dysfunction in addiction. NeuroImage. 2019;200:313–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.06.036.

Article

Google Scholar
Tang R, Razi A, Friston KJ, Tang YY. Mapping smoking addiction using effective connectivity analysis. Front Hum Neurosci. 2016;10:195. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00195.

Article

Google Scholar
Lydon-Staley D, Ciric R, Satterthwaite T, Bassett D. Evaluation of confound regression strategies for the mitigation of micromovement artifact in studies of dynamic resting-state functional connectivity and multilayer network modularity. Netw Neurosci (Cambridge Mass). 2019;3(2):427–54. https://doi.org/10.1162/netn_a_00071.

Article

Google Scholar
Dardo T, Nora DV. Abnormal functional connectivity in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2011;71(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.11.003.
Kathleen AG, Dustin S, Emily SF, Xilin S, R Todd C. The (in)stability of functional brain network measures across thresholds. NeuroImage. 2015;118(0). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.05.046.
Lin F, Han X, Wang Y, Ding W, Sun Y, Zhou Y, Lei H. Sex-specific effects of cigarette smoking on caudate and amygdala volume and resting-state functional connectivity. Brain Imaging Behav. 2021;15(1):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-019-00227-z.

Article

Google Scholar
Nikolaus K, Kyle W, Patrick S, Chris SFB I B. Circular analysis in systems neuroscience: the dangers of double dipping. Nat Neurosci. 2009;12(5). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2303.
Rasmus MB, Erin KM, Rémi P, Taurean P, Timothy BM, Gregory RK, Veena AN, Elizabeth M, Vivek M P. The effect of scan length on the reliability of resting-state fMRI connectivity estimates. NeuroImage. 2013;83(0). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.05.099.
C D-M MTAJ, S A. Reliability of graph analysis of resting state fMRI using test-retest dataset from the human connectome project. NeuroImage. 2016;142(0). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.05.062.
Koene RAVD, Trey H, Archana V, Karleyton CE, Sara WL, Randy LB. Intrinsic functional connectivity as a tool for human connectomics: theory, properties, and optimization. J Neurophysiol. 2009;103(1). https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00783.2009.

Continue Reading

Terrestrial vegetation has been the foundation of food webs and a crucial ally in climate regulation for eons. From 2003 to 2021, that green land engine began to outpace its blue counterpart.

A new analysis draws on six independent satellite data sets to show that land plants increased their net primary production by roughly 0.2 billion metric tons of carbon each year. In contrast, marine phytoplankton lost about half that amount.

The bottom line, write Yulong Zhang and colleagues from Duke University, is that global photosynthesis still crept upward – just not everywhere, and not for the same reasons.

Land surge in net primary production

Because satellites can detect the chlorophyll pigments that make leaves and plankton appear green, researchers can turn those brightness maps into estimates of carbon fixed by photosynthesis.

For this study, the team blended three terrestrial and three marine products, covering nearly two decades. They then traced the annual ups and downs in each realm.

The land situation stood out immediately. “The shift toward greater primary production on land mainly stemmed from plants in higher latitudes, where warming has extended growing seasons and created more favorable temperatures,” explained study co-author Wenhong Li.

Forests thrive, oceans decline

In addition, temperate zones benefited from “local wetting in some areas, forest expansion, and cropland intensification.” These gains more than compensated for a stubborn patch of stagnation across tropical South America.

Ocean productivity told a different story. “Rising sea surface temperatures likely reduced primary production by phytoplankton in tropical and subtropical regions,” said Nicolas Cassar, senior scientist on the project.

Warmer surface layers, he noted, form a cap that suppresses the turbulent mixing needed to replenish nutrients in sun-lit waters. The result, ocean productivity declined by roughly 0.1 billion tons of carbon per year, with the Pacific basin leading the retreat.

Ocean carbon tied to climate

Although land plants dominated the long-term trend, oceans dictated much of the year-to-year variability.

“We observed that ocean primary production responds much more strongly to El Niño and La Niña than land primary production,” said study co-author Shineng Hu.

Indeed, a trio of La Niña events after 2015 temporarily reversed the downward slope in marine photosynthesis. This underlines how tightly plankton communities are lashed to climate oscillations.

The researchers parsed several environmental drivers – light, temperatures, precipitation, and mixed-layer depth – to understand why land and sea diverged. Their conclusion was that warming (and, in some places, wetter conditions) favored northern forests and fields. Meanwhile, the same warming starved tropical waters of nutrients.

“Whether the decline in ocean primary production will continue – and how long and to what extent increases on land can make up for those losses – remains a key unanswered question,” noted Zhang.

Ocean losses threaten biodiversity

Photosynthetic organisms not only fuel ecosystems; they also shape the planet’s carbon balance. Terrestrial plants, boosted by longer growing seasons and human land management, currently outweigh the losses at sea, but the margin is slim.

Should ocean productivity continue to sag, tropical food webs – already strained – could fray further, jeopardizing fisheries and weakening a major carbon sink.

As the authors caution, declines in plankton and stagnation on tropical land can weaken the foundation of tropical food webs. This will have cascading effects on biodiversity, fisheries, and local economies.

Monitoring net primary production

The synthesis highlights the need for an integrated monitoring network that treats forests and phytoplankton as parts of one global engine.

“If you’re looking at planetary health, you want to look at both terrestrial and marine domains for an integrated view of net primary production,” Cassar emphasized.

Many of the foundational studies that stitched land and sea together are now more than two decades old. Updating that picture is urgent as climate patterns shift.

Carbon fight shifts from ocean to land

Net primary production, the authors argue, is effectively Earth’s scoreboard for life. It registers how much solar energy is converted into the organic matter that nourishes everything else.

According to Zhang, net primary production is the amount of energy photosynthetic organisms capture and make available to support nearly all other life in an ecosystem. That metric shows if the biosphere is gaining or losing ground in sequestering atmospheric carbon.

For now, an energetic Northern Hemisphere offsets a flagging equatorial ocean. But the equilibrium is delicate, and the drivers – temperature, rainfall, nutrient mixing – are changing fast.

“Long-term, coordinated monitoring of both land and ocean ecosystems as integrated components of Earth is essential,” concluded Zhang.

The study is published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–