Affective engagement for facial expressions and emotional scenes: the influence of social anxiety

Pictures of emotional facial expressions or natural scenes are often used as cues in emotion research. We examined the extent to which these different stimuli engage emotion and attention, and whether the presence of social anxiety symptoms influences responding to facial cues. Sixty participants reporting high or low social anxiety viewed pictures of angry, neutral, and happy faces, as well as violent, neutral, and erotic scenes, while skin conductance and event-related potentials were recorded. Acoustic startle probes were presented throughout picture viewing, and blink magnitude, probe P3 and reaction time to the startle probe also were measured. Results indicated that viewing emotional scenes prompted strong reactions in autonomic, central, and reflex measures, whereas pictures of faces were generally weak elicitors of measurable emotional response. However, higher social anxiety was associated with modest electrodermal changes when viewing angry faces and mild startle potentiation when viewing either angry or smiling faces, compared to neutral. Taken together, pictures of facial expressions do not strongly engage fundamental affective reactions, but these cues appeared to be effective in distinguishing between high and low social anxiety participants, supporting their use in anxiety research.     

基于F-score特征选择和支持向量机的P300识别算法

如何从脑电信号中快速准确地识别出P300成分是脑-机接口研究中的一个热点问题.针对P300的识别问题,我们提出了一种将F-score特征选择与支持向量机相结合的判别方法,该方法采用F-score特征选择减少输入特征的维数,以克服支持向量机算法判别速度慢的缺点;然后借助支持向量机算法良好的分类性能实现P300的识别.本文在BCI Competition 2003的P300实验数据集上对该方法进行了验证,结果表明,在5次重复实验中该方法的识别准确率达到了100%,且判别速度与未经特征选择的传统支持向量机算法相比提高了近2倍.     

脑波治疗对青少年期精神分裂症患者认知功能的影响

目的探讨脑波治疗对青少年期精神分裂症患者认知功能的影响。方法随机将年龄在12-18岁之间符合DSM-IV精神分裂症标准患者46例,分为单纯应用奥氮平治疗组（实验组1）及应用脑波联合奥氮平治疗组（实验组2）,选择23例健康者作为对照组。实验组予奥氮平治疗8周前后予《简明精神状况检查量表》（BPRS）评分,各组分别予P300检测,分别比较P300潜伏期及波幅的差异。结果实验组1、实验组2PZ点潜伏期均比对照组延长,实验组1、实验组2FZ、CZ、PZ、OZ点波幅均比对照组降低（P〈0.05及0.01）。治疗后,实验组1、实验组2PZ点潜伏期均比治疗前缩短（P〈0.01）;实验组1、实验组2FZ、CZ、PZ、OZ点波幅均比治疗前升高（P〈0.05及0.01）。实验组2PZ点潜伏期比实验组1缩短（P〈0.05）;实验组2FZ、CZ、PZ、OZ点波幅均比实验组1升高（P〈0.05及0.01）。治疗后,实验组1BPRS评分高于实验组2（P〈0.01）,实验组2显效率及总有效率明显高于实验组1（P〈0.01）。结论脑波治疗通过调节、平衡人体的脑电活动及兴奋水平,具有辅助改善青少年期精神分裂症患者认知功能的作用。     

Gender differences in late positive components evoked by human faces

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in male and female participants in response to 32 male and 32 female faces. Participants were instructed to simply look carefully at each face; after ERP collection they were asked to rate each face on a 5-point attractiveness scale. A positive correlation between average rating and average P300 scores to opposite sex faces was observed in male (r = .40) and in preovulatory (r = .41) and postovulatory (r = .44) female subjects. Correlations to same sex faces were only found in postovulatory females (r = .61). Male participants showed a much larger average P300 than did female participants, and the P300 evoked in female participants was unexpectedly larger to female than to male faces. Neither task relevance nor stimulus probability is a plausible explanations for these findings because they were experimentally controlled. These results support the emotional value hypothesis, according to which classical P300 processes reflect an affective evaluation of the stimulus, which in turn produces context updating.     

miRNA-181a对多发性骨髓瘤细胞增殖和迁移的作用

目的:通过沉默人多发性骨髓瘤细胞株RPM18226中miRNA-181a的表达,观察RPM18226细胞的增殖、迁移和细胞周期的变化,并探讨其可能的作用机制。方法:实时荧光定量PCR检测多发性骨髓瘤患者和健康者血清标本中miRNA-181a的表达水平;转染miRNA-181a inhibitor后,CCK-8法与集落形成实验检测细胞的增殖能力,划痕实验检测细胞的迁移能力,流式细胞术检测细胞的周期变化,Western blot法检测cyclin D1、p-PI3K和pAkt蛋白水平的变化。结果:多发性骨髓瘤患者血清中miRNA-181a呈高表达,显著高于正常人;转染miRNA-181a inhibitor后,RPM18226细胞的存活率和集落形成能力下降,迁移能力降低,G_0/G_1期细胞比例明显减少,S期细胞比例增多,cyclin D1蛋白表达显著低于正常对照组,PI3K和Akt的磷酸化水平明显低于正常对照组。结论:沉默miRNA-181a的表达能够抑制RPM18226细胞的增殖,并降低细胞的迁移能力,可能与细胞周期及PI3K/Akt信号通路有关。     

miR-183 promotes radioresistance of lung adenocarcinoma H1299 cells via epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Lung adenocarcinomas are usually sensitive to radiation therapy, but some develop resistance. Radiation resistance can lead to poor patient prognosis. Studies have shown that lung adenocarcinoma cells (H1299 cells) can develop radioresistance through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and this process is regulated by miRNAs. However, it is unclear which miRNAs are involved in the process of EMT. In our present study, we found that miR-183 expression was increased in a radioresistant lung adenocarcinoma cell line (H1299R cells). We then explored the regulatory mechanism of miR-183 and found that it may be involved in the regulation of zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) expression and mediate EMT in lung adenocarcinoma cells. qPCR results showed that miR-183, ZEB1, and vimentin were highly expressed in H1299R cells, whereas no difference was observed in E-cadherin expression. Western blot results showed that ZEB1 and vimentin were highly expressed in H1299R cells, while E-cadherin expression was decreased. When miR-183 expression was inhibited in H1299R cells, radiation resistance, proliferation, and cell migration were decreased. The expression of ZEB1 and vimentin in H1299R cells was decreased, while the expression of E-cadherin was increased. Moreover, miR-183 overexpression in H1299 cells enhanced radiation resistance, proliferative capacity, and cell migration ability. The expression of ZEB1 and vimentin in H1299 cells was increased, while that of E-cadherin was decreased. In conclusion, miR-183 may promote EMT and radioresistance in H1299 cells, and targeting the miR-183-ZEB1 signaling pathway may be a promising approach for lung cancer treatment.     

miR-300通过LEF-1调控卵巢癌SKOV3细胞增殖、凋亡的实验研究

目的探究miR-300介导LKF-1调控卵巢癌细胞增殖和凋亡的作用的机制。方法体外培养卵巢癌SK0V3细胞及正常卵巢上皮细胞,使用RT-PCR检测卵巢癌SK0V3细胞及正常卵巢上皮细胞中LEF-1及miR-300的表达情况;利用生物信息学软件预测LEF-1为miR-300的靶基因,并通过双荧光素酶等实验进行验证;将卵巢癌细胞分为空白对照组、空白转染组和miR-300抑制剂组。空白转染组使用miR-NC转染卵巢癌SKOV3细胞;miR-300抑制剂组采用miR-300 inhibitor转染细胞。使用CCK-8检测细胞增殖情况;使用蛋A质印记检测各组细胞的增殖相关蛋白Ki-67表达情况;划痕实验法检测各组细胞迁移能力;使用蛋白质印记法检测迁移相关蛋白N-cadherin、E-cadherin表达情况;使用流式细胞仪检测各组细胞凋亡情况;使用蛋A质印记法检测凋亡相关蛋白Bcl-2、Bax表达情况。结果卵巢癌SK0V3细胞中LEF-1及miR-300的表达显著高于正常卵巢上皮细胞(T=4.528,P=0.017;T=6.328,P=0.017);相比空白对照组,空白转染组卵巢癌细胞增殖、迁移能力均无显著改变(P>0.05);相比空白转染组,miR-300抑制剂组Ki-67蛋内相对表达(T15.687;P=0.001)、增长率(T=9.732;P=0.024)、划痕愈合率(T=11.558;P=O.005)、E-cadherin蛋白相对表达(T=18.558;P=0.003)、Bcl-2蛋白相对表达(T=11.001;P=0.035)均显著降低;N-cadherin蛋白相对表达(T=22.478;P=0.001)、B ax蛋白相对表达(T=18.528;P=0.004)、细胞凋亡率(T=19.975;P=0.000)均显著升高。结论miR-300可以介导LEF-1抑制卵巢癌细胞增殖并促进其凋亡,其作用机制与调控增殖、凋亡相关蛋白和调控EMT过程相关。     

The inhibitory receptor CD300a is essential for neutrophil-mediated clearance of urinary tract infection in mice

Neutrophils play a crucial role in immune defense against and clearance of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)-mediated urinary tract infection, the most common bacterial infection in healthy humans. CD300a is an inhibitory receptor that binds phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, presented on the membranes of apoptotic cells. CD300a binding to phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, also known as the “eat me” signal, mediates immune tolerance to dying cells. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that CD300a plays an important role in the neutrophil-mediated immune response to UPEC-induced urinary tract infection. We show that CD300a-deficient neutrophils have impaired phagocytic abilities and despite their increased accumulation at the site of infection, they are unable to reduce bacterial burden in the bladder, which results in significant exacerbation of infection and worse host outcome. Finally, we demonstrate that UPEC's pore forming toxin α-hemolysin induces upregulation of the CD300a ligand on infected bladder epithelial cells, signaling to neutrophils to be cleared.     

Stability of Late Event-Related Potentials: Topographical Descriptors of Motor Control Compared with the P300 Amplitude

The P300-amplitude evoked with an acoustic oddball-paradigm is considered the most stable late event-related potential (ERP). This amplitude-index has become a standard parameter in electrophysiology. Recently, a robust ERP-parameter (NoGo-anteriorization, NGA) has been introduced, which reflects spatial brain electrical changes in relation to execution and inhibition of a motor response elicited with a Continuous Performance Test (CPT). The current study refers to the stability of this new topographical ERP-parameter compared to the stability of the classical P300-amplitude. For that purpose, 12 healthy subjects were investigated with both paradigms during recording of a 21-channel EEG. Analysis of the resulting ERPs revealed a very high stability for both, topographical and amplitude index: In every single subject, the brain electrical fields were characterized by a more anterior location in the NoGo- compared to the Go-condition (=NGA) and by higher amplitudes after target compared to distractor condition. T-tests, analyses of the effect size and of the power revealed equivalent differences between the two contrasting conditions for the topographical compared to the amplitude index. These results indicate that the stability of the topographical ERP-parameters elicited with the CPT is sufficient for an electrophysiological standard-index. The possibility to elicit a robust and specific spatial brain activation with the CPT is an ideal completion to the classical P300 amplitude effect and, therefore, hopefully will be a useful expansion of the standard paradigms in electrophysiological laboratories.     

P300, N400, aerobic fitness, and maximal aerobic exercise

Electrophysiological effects of aerobic fitness and maximal aerobic exercise were investigated by comparing P300 and N400 before and after a maximal cycling test. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were obtained from 20 students divided into two matched groups defined by their aerobic fitness level (cyclists vs. sedentary subjects). The session of postexercise ERPs was performed immediately after body temperature and heart rate returned to preexercise values. At rest, no significant differences were observed in ERP parameters between cyclists and sedentary subjects. This finding argued against the hypothesis that ERP modifications may be directly assumed by aerobic fitness level. The postexercise session of ERPs showed a significant P300 amplitude increase and a significant P300 latency decrease in all subjects. Similarly, N400 effect increased significantly after the maximal exercise in all subjects. ERP changes were of the same magnitude in the two groups. The present study argues for a general arousing effect of maximal aerobic exercise, independently of the aerobic fitness level.