The N170 component is sensitive to face-like stimuli: a study of Chinese Peking opera makeup

The N170 component is considered a neural marker of face-sensitive processing. In the present study, the face-sensitive N170 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) was investigated with a modified oddball paradigm using a natural face (the standard stimulus), human- and animal-like makeup stimuli, scrambled control images that mixed human- and animal-like makeup pieces, and a grey control image. Nineteen participants were instructed to respond within 1000 ms by pressing the ‘F’ or ‘J’ key in response to the standard or deviant stimuli, respectively. We simultaneously recorded ERPs, response accuracy, and reaction times. The behavioral results showed that the main effect of stimulus type was significant for reaction time, whereas there were no significant differences in response accuracies among stimulus types. In relation to the ERPs, N170 amplitudes elicited by human-like makeup stimuli, animal-like makeup stimuli, scrambled control images, and a grey control image progressively decreased. A right hemisphere advantage was observed in the N170 amplitudes for human-like makeup stimuli, animal-like makeup stimuli, and scrambled control images but not for grey control image. These results indicate that the N170 component is sensitive to face-like stimuli and reflect configural processing in face recognition.     

The naked truth: Sphynx and Devon Rex cat breed mutations in KRT71

Hair is a unique structure, characteristic of mammals, controlling body homeostasis, as well as cell and tissue integration. Previous studies in dog, mouse, and rat have identified polymorphisms in Keratin 71 (KRT71) as responsible for the curly/wavy phenotypes. The coding sequence and the 3′ UTR of KRT71 were directly sequenced in randomly bred and pedigreed domestic cats with different pelage mutations, including hairless varieties. A SNP altering a splice site was identified in the Sphynx breed and suggested to be the hairless (hr) allele, and a complex sequence alteration, also causing a splice variation, was identified in the Devon Rex breed and suggested to be the curly (re) allele. The polymorphisms were genotyped in approximately 200 cats. All the Devon Rex were homozygous for the complex alterations and most of the Sphynx were either homozygous for the hr allele or compound heterozygotes with the Devon-associated re allele, suggesting that the phenotypes are a result of the identified SNPs. Two Sphynx carrying the proposed hr mutation did not carry the Devon-associated alteration. No other causative mutations for eight different rexoid and hairless cat phenotypes were identified. The allelic series KRT71 ⁺  > KRT71 ^hr  > KRT71 ^re is suggested.     

Complementation of the anti-TNP PFC response of N:NIH nude mice from nude dams by spleen cells of nude mice from heterozygous dams.

Type I and Type II nude (nu/nu) mice are borne and raised by nu/nu dams and +/nu dams, respectively, under SPF conditions. Splenocytes from Type I nude mice exhibit even smaller in vitro PFC responses to trinitrophenylated rabbit erythrocytes than splenocytes from Type II nude mice. Type II splenocytes complement the magnitude of the PFC response of Type I splenocytes. The helper cell-like activity contained in Type II splenocyte suspensions was increased by treating Type II nude donor mice with dibutyryl cyclic AMP, but was essentially unaffected by pretreatment of Type II donors with endotoxin (LPS). The helper-like activity of Type II splenocytes was suppressed by treatment with a rabbit antiserum (plus C′) raised against a mixture of neonatal mouse thymocytes (RAM-T). We interpret the data to indicate that Type II splenocytes contain a larger number of residual T cells and/or a more fully developed population of T precursor cells that initiate or that are capable of being induced to initiate a helper function.     

The anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide response in tuberculosis patients is not citrulline-dependent and sensitive to treatment

Introduction  

Patients with tuberculosis (TB) frequently produce anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA). The objective of this study is to characterize the citrulline-dependence of the ACPA reactivity in sera of patients with mycobacterium infections.     

Assembly of snRNP-containing coiled bodies is regulated in interphase and mitosis--evidence that the coiled body is a kinetic nuclear structure

Coiled bodies (CBs) are nuclear organelles in which splicing snRNPs concentrate. While CBs are sometimes observed in association with the nucleolar periphery, they are shown not to contain 5S or 28S rRNA or the U3 snoRNA. This argues against CBs playing a role in rRNA maturation or transport as previously suggested. We present evidence here that CBs are kinetic structures and demonstrate that the formation of snRNP-containing CBs is regulated in interphase and mitosis. The coiled body antigen, p80 coilin, was present in all cell types studied, even when CBs were not prominent. Striking changes in the formation of CBs could be induced by changes in cellular growth temperature without a concomitant change in the intracellular p80 coilin level. During mitosis, CBs disassemble, coinciding with a mitotic-specific phosphorylation of p80 coilin. Coilin is shown to be a phosphoprotein that is phosphorylated on at least two additional sites during mitosis. CBs reform in daughter nuclei after a lag period during which they are not detected. CBs are thus, dynamic nuclear organelles and we propose that cycling interactions of splicing snRNPs with CBs may be important for their participation in the processing or transport of pre-mRNA in mammalian cells.     

A biologic radar system for the assessment of body mass the model of a geometry sensitive endocrine system is presented

Appetite control, pubarchal timing, and catch-up growth all seem to depend, to some extent, on body mass. Information regarding this variable may be supplied to the central nervous system (“ponderostat”) by a humoral radar system employing an insulin-like molecule or dependent substrate as a signal. The intensity of this signal would vary as a function of the organism's total adipose cell surface area, which, in turn, is a product of cell size and number. The geometry of a sphere (adipose cell) is such that surface area change per unit volume change increases as the radius of the sphere is reduced. Signal shifts then are maximal when cell volume is minimal. Divergence of the adipose signal from an age-appropriate norm could influence “ponderostat” activity and, in turn, brain centers mediating appetitive and various endocrine systems. Total caloric intake and the timing of this intake with respect to somatic maturity appear to affect adipose cell volume and number respectively. If shifts in adipose surface area provide a signal source regarding organismic mass, and if this surface area reflects the quantity and chronology of antecedent nutritional events, there are obvious implications for the role of nutrition during “critical periods” in the subsequent operation of the complex systems subserving appetite, somatic growth and sexual maturation.     

The awakening cortisol response: no evidence for an influence of body posture

It has recently been reported that the orthostatic challenge associated with postural change from sitting to an upright position is stimulatory to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as evidenced by increased salivary free cortisol. This stimulatory influence is potentially a confound for the many psychoneuroendocrine studies for which salivary free cortisol is the main dependent variable. This particularly relates to laboratory psychosocial stress procedures in which subjects are invited to stand in order to deliver public speech and the studies which have explored the cortisol response to awakening in which postural shift has not been controlled for. We therefore examined, in a balanced cross over design whether the awakening cortisol response was influenced by standing, shortly after awakening or remaining supine during the response study period. In addition and in the same subjects we measured the cardiovascular response and saliva cortisol response to the orthostatic challenge of shifting from a supine to a standing position later in the diurnal cortisol cycle. The expected cortisol response to awakening was demonstrated but there was no evidence that the postural shift, supine to standing, confounded the response. This same postural shift later in the day induced the expected increase in heart rate but cortisol simply followed the circadian decline. Under the conditions of the present study we found no evidence that the postural shift supine to standing could induce a cortisol secretory episode such as to contribute towards the awakening response.     

The relative importance of the face and body in judgments of human physical attractiveness

A number of traits have been proposed to be important in human mate choice decisions. However, relatively little work has been conducted to determine the relative importance of these traits. In this study, we assessed the relative importance of the face and body in judgments of human physical attractiveness. One hundred twenty-seven men and 133 women were shown images of 10 individuals of the opposite sex. Participants rated the images for their attractiveness for either a short-term relationship or a long-term relationship. Images of the face and the body were rated independently before participants were shown and asked to rate the combined face and body images. Face ratings were found to be the best predictor of the ratings of combined images for both sexes and for both relationship types. Females showed no difference in ratings between short- and long-term conditions, but male ratings of female bodies became relatively more important for a short-term relationship compared with a long-term relationship. Results suggest that faces and bodies may be signaling different information about potential mates.     

The pituitary response to ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone is enhanced in obese men and correlates with insulin resistance.

Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in central obesity has been demonstrated in women. We studied the corticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol response to ovine corticotropin releasing hormone (oCRH) and its association to parameters of adiposity and insulin resistance in a group of 19 healthy obese (BMI > 25 kg/m2) and 9 non-obese men. Relative insulin resistance was assessed by the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA IR). Baseline ACTH was similar, while cortisol was lower in the obese group. The ACTH response to oCRH was significantly higher in the obese group. ACTH incremental area under the curve (iAUC) correlated with age, HOMA IR, and sagittal diameter but not with leptin. In multiple regression analysis, only HOMA IR was an independent predictor of ACTH iAUC. In conclusion, obese men have hyperactivity of the HPA axis at the pituitary level, which appears to be linked to insulin resistance.     

Yeast N1e3p/Nup170p is required for normal stoichiometry of FG nucleoporins within the nuclear pore complex.

The FG nucleoporins are a conserved family of proteins, some of which bind to the nuclear localization sequence receptor, karyopherin. Distinct members of this family are found in each region of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), spanning from the cytoplasmically disposed filaments to the distal end of the nuclear basket. Movement of karyopherin from one FG nucleoporin to the next may be required for translocation of substrates across the NPC. So far, nothing is known about how the FG nucleoporins are localized within the NPC. To identify proteins that interact functionally with one member of this family, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Nup1p, we previously identified 16 complementation groups containing mutants that are lethal in the absence of NUP1 These mutants were referred to as nle (Nup-lethal) mutants. Mutants in the nle3/nlel7 complementation group are lethal in combination with amino-terminal nup1 truncation mutants, which we have previously shown to be defective for localization to the NPC. Here we show that NLE3 (which is allelic to NUP170) encodes a protein with similarity to the mammalian nucleoporin Nup155. We show that Nle3p coprecipitates with glutathione S-transferase fusions containing the amino-terminal domain of Nup1p. Furthermore, a deletion of Nle3p leads to changes in the stoichiometry of several of the XFXFG nucleoporins, including the loss of Nup1p and Nup2p. These results suggest that Nle3p plays a role in localizing specific FG nucleoporins within the NPC. The broad spectrum of synthetic phenotypes observed with the nle3delta mutant provides support for this model. We also identify a redundant yeast homolog that can partially substitute for Nle3p and show that together these proteins are required for viability.     

Human adaptations for the visual assessment of strength and fighting ability from the body and face

Selection in species with aggressive social interactions favours the evolution of cognitive mechanisms for assessing physical formidability (fighting ability or resource-holding potential). The ability to accurately assess formidability in conspecifics has been documented in a number of non-human species, but has not been demonstrated in humans. Here, we report tests supporting the hypothesis that the human cognitive architecture includes mechanisms that assess fighting ability-mechanisms that focus on correlates of upper-body strength. Across diverse samples of targets that included US college students, Bolivian horticulturalists and Andean pastoralists, subjects in the US were able to accurately estimate the physical strength of male targets from photos of their bodies and faces. Hierarchical linear modelling shows that subjects were extracting cues of strength that were largely independent of height, weight and age, and that corresponded most strongly to objective measures of upper-body strength-even when the face was all that was available for inspection. Estimates of women's strength were less accurate, but still significant. These studies are the first empirical demonstration that, for humans, judgements of strength and judgements of fighting ability not only track each other, but accurately track actual upper-body strength.     

Regulation of the immune response to polyvinylpyrrolidone: Effect of antilymphocyte serum on the response of normal and nude mice

The plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses of normal and congenitally thymus-deficient (nude) mice to polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were compared. Normal and nude mice responded similarly to an optimally immunogenic dose of PVP. Antithymocyte serum or antilymphocyte serum treatment of immunized mice caused a five to 10-fold increase in the PVP-specific PFC response in normal mice; the response in nude mice was not increased by such treatment.The data suggest that, although thymus-derived cells are not an absolute requirement in the immune response to PVP, these cells can regulate the magnitude of the immune response to this antigen.     

Ensouled bodies: The continuity of the theme of ‘the body as instrument’

This paper deals squarely with the concept of instrument, specifically, a music instrument, as a unifying agent. The topic occupied writers from Plato, through Plotinus (3rd century, CE), writers within the period known as the European Latin-based Middle Ages, and, as we will see, beyond. Seen from a historical perspective as it recurs, the topic of “body as instrument” is evidence that mind–body interactive reciprocity is not by any means solely a recent multifaceted biochemical, neurological, psychological, and cognitive, subject of inquiry; but, rather, constituted a carefully-articulated topic of discussion in the past – and, that the results of this encounter of various points of view are indeed useful for us today. Further, that alternative modes of knowledge transmission exist, for example, the allegorical mode.     

The hepatic response to Ca2+ is inhibited by Mg2+ and enhanced by phenylephrine or ouabain

Net hepatic Ca2+ efflux, K+ uptake and glycogen breakdown in response to the alpha 1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine were studied. Rat livers were perfused with CO2/bicarbonate-buffered solutions containing 10 microM Ca2+ and different amounts of Mg2+. K+-free medium and/or ouabain were used to block (Na+ + K+)-ATPase-dependent K+ uptake. In some experiments a sharp increase in extracellular Ca2+ concentrations was produced by infusing CaCl2 into the medium entering the liver. Perfusion with K+-free medium and ouabain enhanced the phenylephrine-induced Ca2+ efflux and diminished the glycogenolytic response, indicating a dissociation of Ca2+ release and glycogenolysis. Exogenous Ca2+ had practically no effect if livers were perfused with regular medium containing 1.2 mM Mg2+. In the presence of phenylephrine and if extracellular Mg2+ concentrations were lowered by omitting Mg2+ from the medium or by preperfusion with EGTA, exogenous Ca2+ was glycogenolytically effective and also produced a transient K+ uptake. Increased extracellular concentrations of Mg2+ inhibited the effects of exogenous Ca2+. In the presence of phenylephrine, higher concentrations of Mg2+ were needed than in the absence of alpha 1-adrenergic agonist to achieve a similar degree of inhibition. In one respect ouabain effects were comparable to those of phenylephrine: the glycoside also increased the metabolic response to exogenous Ca2+ and diminished the sensitivity towards Mg2+. Phenylephrine and ouabain may both enhance the permeability of plasma membranes for Ca2+.