Expression of Emotional Arousal in Two Different Piglet Call Types

Humans as well as many animal species reveal their emotional state in their voice. Vocal features show strikingly similar correlation patterns with emotional states across mammalian species, suggesting that the vocal expression of emotion follows highly conserved signalling rules. To fully understand the principles of emotional signalling in mammals it is, however, necessary to also account for any inconsistencies in the way that they are acoustically encoded. Here we investigate whether the expression of emotions differs between call types produced by the same species. We compare the acoustic structure of two common piglet calls—the scream (a distress call) and the grunt (a contact call)—across three levels of arousal in a negative situation. We find that while the central frequency of calls increases with arousal in both call types, the amplitude and tonal quality (harmonic-to-noise ratio) show contrasting patterns: as arousal increased, the intensity also increased in screams, but not in grunts, while the harmonicity increased in screams but decreased in grunts. Our results suggest that the expression of arousal depends on the function and acoustic specificity of the call type. The fact that more vocal features varied with arousal in scream calls than in grunts is consistent with the idea that distress calls have evolved to convey information about emotional arousal.     

Sex Differences in Emotional Evaluation of Film Clips: Interaction with Five High Arousal Emotional Categories

The present study aimed to investigate gender differences in the emotional evaluation of 18 film clips divided into six categories: Erotic, Scenery, Neutral, Sadness, Compassion, and Fear. 41 female and 40 male students rated all clips for valence-pleasantness, arousal, level of elicited distress, anxiety, jittery feelings, excitation, and embarrassment. Analysis of positive films revealed higher levels of arousal, pleasantness, and excitation to the Scenery clips in both genders, but lower pleasantness and greater embarrassment in women compared to men to Erotic clips. Concerning unpleasant stimuli, unlike men, women reported more unpleasantness to the Compassion, Sadness, and Fear compared to the Neutral clips and rated them also as more arousing than did men. They further differentiated the films by perceiving greater arousal to Fear than to Compassion clips. Women rated the Sadness and Fear clips with greater Distress and Jittery feelings than men did. Correlation analysis between arousal and the other emotional scales revealed that, although men looked less aroused than women to all unpleasant clips, they also showed a larger variance in their emotional responses as indicated by the high number of correlations and their relatively greater extent, an outcome pointing to a masked larger sensitivity of part of male sample to emotional clips. We propose a new perspective in which gender difference in emotional responses can be better evidenced by means of film clips selected and clustered in more homogeneous categories, controlled for arousal levels, as well as evaluated through a number of emotion focused adjectives.     

The Rewarding Aspects of Music Listening Are Related to Degree of Emotional Arousal

Background

Listening to music is amongst the most rewarding experiences for humans. Music has no functional resemblance to other rewarding stimuli, and has no demonstrated biological value, yet individuals continue listening to music for pleasure. It has been suggested that the pleasurable aspects of music listening are related to a change in emotional arousal, although this link has not been directly investigated. In this study, using methods of high temporal sensitivity we investigated whether there is a systematic relationship between dynamic increases in pleasure states and physiological indicators of emotional arousal, including changes in heart rate, respiration, electrodermal activity, body temperature, and blood volume pulse.

Methodology

Twenty-six participants listened to self-selected intensely pleasurable music and “neutral” music that was individually selected for them based on low pleasure ratings they provided on other participants'' music. The “chills” phenomenon was used to index intensely pleasurable responses to music. During music listening, continuous real-time recordings of subjective pleasure states and simultaneous recordings of sympathetic nervous system activity, an objective measure of emotional arousal, were obtained.

Principal Findings

Results revealed a strong positive correlation between ratings of pleasure and emotional arousal. Importantly, a dissociation was revealed as individuals who did not experience pleasure also showed no significant increases in emotional arousal.

Conclusions/Significance

These results have broader implications by demonstrating that strongly felt emotions could be rewarding in themselves in the absence of a physically tangible reward or a specific functional goal.     

Positive Affect and Cognitive Restoration: Investigating the Role of Valence and Arousal

Positive moods are thought to restore self-control resources following depletion. However, it is not well understood whether this effect is due to affective valence (pleasantness), arousal (activation), or a combination of both. Across four studies, we set out to investigate the role of positive moods on cognitive and behavioral measures of self-regulation in an ego-depletion paradigm. In studies 1 and 2, we independently manipulated affective valence and arousal and assessed self-regulation with a Stroop task. Results did not suggest a restorative effect of either on cognitive resources. In study 3, we employed both behavioral (the ‘handgrip task’) and cognitive (Stroop) assessments of self-regulation. Again, no significant effect of mood was observed on the Stroop task. Additionally, participants did not persist significantly longer on the handgrip task following a positive mood induction. Finally, in study 4, high vs. low states of arousal were manipulated and self-regulation was assessed via pre- and post-manipulation Stroop performance. In study 4, Stroop performance improved slightly more across time points for those in the high arousal condition than for those in the low arousal condition. Therefore, across four studies, we failed to find a consistent pattern of results suggesting that positive moods restore cognitive resources.     

Acute and Prolonged Adverse Effects of Temperature on Mortality from Cardiovascular Diseases

Background

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide, especially for developed countries. Elevated mortality from cardiovascular diseases has been shown related to extreme temperature. We thus assessed the risk of mortality from cerebrovascular diseases, heart diseases, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) in relation to temperature profiles in four subtropical metropolitans (Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung) from 1994 to 2007 in Taiwan.

Methods

Distributed lag non-linear models were applied to estimate the cumulative relative risks (RRs) with confidence intervals of cause-specific mortality associated with daily temperature from lag 0 to 20 days, and specific effect of extreme temperature episodes with PM₁₀, NOx, and O_3, and other potential confounders controlled. Estimates for cause-specific mortalities were then pooled by random-effect meta-analysis.

Results

Comparing to centered temperature at 27°C, the cumulative 4-day (lag 0 to 3) risk of mortality was significantly elevated at 31°C for cerebrovascular diseases (RR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.31) and heart diseases (RR =  1.22; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.46) , but not for IHD (RR =  1.09; 95% CI: 0.99, 1.21). To the other extreme, at 15°C, the cumulative 21-day (lag 0 to 20) risk of mortality were also remarkably increased for cerebrovascular diseases, heart diseases, and IHD (RRs  =  1.48 with 95% CI: 1.04, 2.12, 2.04 with 95% CI: 1.61, 2.58, and 1.62 with 95% CI: 1.30, 2.01, respectively). Mortality risks for cardiovascular diseases were generally highest on the present day (lag 0) of extreme heat. No particular finding was detected on prolonged extreme temperature event by pooling estimations for cause-specific mortality.

Conclusions

Low temperature was associated with greater risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases in comparison with that of high temperature. Adverse effects of extreme temperatures are acute at the beginning of exposure.     

Effects of Acute Methamphetamine on Emotional Memory Formation in Humans: Encoding vs Consolidation

Understanding how stimulant drugs affect memory is important for understanding their addictive potential. Here we examined the effects of acute d-methamphetamine (METH), administered either before (encoding phase) or immediately after (consolidation phase) study on memory for emotional and neutral images in healthy humans. Young adult volunteers (N = 60) were randomly assigned to either an encoding group (N = 29) or a consolidation group (N = 31). Across three experimental sessions, they received placebo and two doses of METH (10, 20 mg) either 45 min before (encoding) or immediately after (consolidation) viewing pictures of emotionally positive, neutral, and negative scenes. Memory for the pictures was tested two days later, under drug-free conditions. Half of the sample reported sleep disturbances following the high dose of METH, which affected their memory performance. Therefore, participants were classified as poor sleepers (less than 6 hours; n = 29) or adequate sleepers (6 or more hours; n = 31) prior to analyses. For adequate sleepers, METH (20 mg) administered before encoding significantly improved memory accuracy relative to placebo, especially for emotional (positive and negative), compared to neutral, stimuli. For poor sleepers in the encoding group, METH impaired memory. METH did not affect memory in the consolidation group regardless of sleep quality. These results extend previous findings showing that METH can enhance memory for salient emotional stimuli but only if it is present at the time of study, where it can affect both encoding and consolidation. METH does not appear to facilitate consolidation if administered after encoding. The study also demonstrates the important role of sleep in memory studies.     

Effects of Arousal on Mouse Sensory Cortex Depend on Modality

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Cardiovascular Effects of Methylmethacrylate Cement

Experiments were carried out on dogs in an attempt to identify the mechanisms underlying the systemic hypotension associated with the application of acrylic cement substances to raw bone surfaces, as in reconstructive hip surgery. Intravenous injection of the liquid component of such cements (monomeric methylmethacrylate) into six dogs produced a significant fall in blood pressure together with an increase in heart rate and cardiac output. This seemed to be due to peripheral vasodilatation caused directly by the monomer and not through the release of histamine. Absorption of free monomer from the mixed cement into the systemic circulation at operation is likely to have the same effect. Precautionary measures can be taken and groups of patients who are especially at risk can be identified, thus reducing the hazards of total hip replacement.     

Biofeedback-Assisted Cardiovascular Control in Hypertensives Exposed to Emotional Stress: A Pilot Study

The study was aimed at examining the effect of a short Heart Rate-Biofeedback (HR-BF) protocol on systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure levels and BP emotional reactivity. Twenty-four unmedicated outpatients with pre- and stage 1 hypertension, were randomly assigned to active treatment (BF-Training) or control (BP-Monitoring) group. Subjects in BF-Training Group underwent four BF sessions. Guided imagery of stressful events was introduced during sessions 3 and 4. Control participants self-monitored their BP at home for 4?weeks. Subjects in both groups performed an emotional Speech Test before and after the training (or monitoring) period. SBP and mean arterial pressure responses to the emotional Speech Test were significantly smaller after the BF-training than the BP-monitoring. Moreover, clinic SBP and DBP were significantly reduced by about 10?mmHg in BF-Training Group, whereas they remained unchanged in control group. Self-monitored BP decreased significantly in the active treatment group and not in control group. A short BF-training, including guided imagery of stressful events, was effective in reducing BP reactions to a psychosocial stressor. BP measured in the clinic, and self-monitored at home were also significantly reduced in the BF-Training Group. HR-BF appears to be a suitable intervention for hypertensive patients, mostly when BP increase is associated with emotional activation.     

精氨酸在心血管疾病中的作用

内皮依赖性舒张因子 一氧化氮 (EDRF NO)在心血管中的作用及L -精氨酸作为EDRF NO的前体对高血压、肺动脉高压症及动脉粥样硬化的治疗作用。     

Chronopharmacokinetics and Cardiovascular Effects of Nifedipine

Orcadian phase dependency in pharmacokinetics and hemodynamic effects on blood pressure and heart rate of different galenic formulations of nifedipine (immediate-release, sustained-release, and i.v. solution) were studied in healthy subjects or in hypertensive patients. Pharmacokinetics of immediate-release but not sustained-release and i.v. nifedipine were dependent on time of day: immediate-release nifedipine had higher C_max (peak concentration) and shorter t_max (time-to-peak concentration) after morning than evening application, and bioavailibility in the evening was reduced by about 40%. Orcadian rhythm in estimated hepatic blood flow as determined by indocyanine green kinetics may contribute to these chronokinetics. A circadian time dependency was also found in nifedipine-induced effects on blood pressure and heart rate as monitored by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurements. In conclusion, the dose response relationship of oral nifedipine is influenced by the circadian organization of the cardiovascular system as well as by the galenic drug formulation.     

Chronopharmacokinetics and Cardiovascular Effects of Nifedipine

Orcadian phase dependency in pharmacokinetics and hemodynamic effects on blood pressure and heart rate of different galenic formulations of nifedipine (immediate-release, sustained-release, and i.v. solution) were studied in healthy subjects or in hypertensive patients. Pharmacokinetics of immediate-release but not sustained-release and i.v. nifedipine were dependent on time of day: immediate-release nifedipine had higher C_max (peak concentration) and shorter t_max (time-to-peak concentration) after morning than evening application, and bioavailibility in the evening was reduced by about 40%. Orcadian rhythm in estimated hepatic blood flow as determined by indocyanine green kinetics may contribute to these chronokinetics. A circadian time dependency was also found in nifedipine-induced effects on blood pressure and heart rate as monitored by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurements. In conclusion, the dose response relationship of oral nifedipine is influenced by the circadian organization of the cardiovascular system as well as by the galenic drug formulation.     

Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphism Modulates Activity and Connectivity within an Emotional Arousal Network of Healthy Men during an Aversive Visceral Stimulus

Background and Aims

The 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been linked to increased stress responsiveness and negative emotional states. During fearful face recognition individuals with the s allele of 5-HTTLPR show greater amygdala activation. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism differentially affects connectivity within brain networks during an aversive visceral stimulus.

Methods

Twenty-three healthy male subjects were enrolled. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood. The genotype of 5-HTTLPR was determined using polymerase chain reaction. Subjects with the s/s genotype (n = 13) were compared to those with the l allele (genotypes l/s, l/l, n = 10). Controlled rectal distension from 0 to 40 mmHg was delivered in random order using a barostat. Radioactive H2[^15-O] saline was injected at time of distension followed by positron emission tomography (PET). Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) and structural equation modeling (SEM).

Results

During baseline, subjects with s/s genotype demonstrated a significantly increased negative influence of pregenual ACC (pACC) on amygdala activity compared to l-carriers. During inflation, subjects with s/s genotype demonstrated a significantly greater positive influence of hippocampus on amygdala activity compared to l-carriers.

Conclusion

In male Japanese subjects, individuals with s/s genotype show alterations in the connectivity of brain regions involved in stress responsiveness and emotion regulation during aversive visceral stimuli compared to those with l carriers.     

The Effects of Valence and Arousal on Associative Working Memory and Long-Term Memory

Background

Emotion can either facilitate or impair memory, depending on what, when and how memory is tested and whether the paradigm at hand is administered as a working memory (WM) or a long-term memory (LTM) task. Whereas emotionally arousing single stimuli are more likely to be remembered, memory for the relationship between two or more component parts (i.e., relational memory) appears to be worse in the presence of emotional stimuli, at least in some relational memory tasks. The current study investigated the effects of both valence (neutral vs. positive vs. negative) and arousal (low vs. high) in an inter-item WM binding and LTM task.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A five-pair delayed-match-to-sample (WM) task was administered. In each trial, study pairs consisted of one neutral picture and a second picture of which the emotional qualities (valence and arousal levels) were manipulated. These pairs had to be remembered across a delay interval of 10 seconds. This was followed by a probe phase in which five pairs were tested. After completion of this task, an unexpected single item LTM task as well as an LTM task for the pairs was assessed. As expected, emotional arousal impaired WM processing. This was reflected in lower accuracy for pairs consisting of high-arousal pictures compared to pairs with low-arousal pictures. A similar effect was found for the associative LTM task. However, the arousal effect was modulated by affective valence for the WM but not the LTM task; pairs with low-arousal negative pictures were not processed as well in the WM task. No significant differences were found for the single-item LTM task.

Conclusions/Significance

The present study provides additional evidence that processes during initial perception/encoding and post-encoding processes, the time interval between study and test and the interaction between valence and arousal might modulate the effects of “emotion” on associative memory.     

Arousal of cancer-associated stromal fibroblasts

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), comprised of activated fibroblasts or myofibroblasts, are found in stroma surrounding solid tumors; these myofibroblasts promote invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. Activation of stromal fibroblasts into myofibroblasts is induced by expression of cystoskeleton protein, palladin, at early stages in tumorigenesis and increases with neoplastic progression. Expression of palladin in fibroblasts is triggered by paracrine signaling from adjacent k-ras-expressing epithelial cells. Three-dimensional co-cultures of palladin-expressing fibroblasts and pancreatic cancer cells reveals that the activated fibroblasts lead the invasion by creating tunnels through the extracellular matrix through which the cancer cells follow. Invasive tunneling occurs as a result of the development of invadopodia-like cellular protrusions in the palladin-activated fibroblasts and the addition of a wounding/inflammatory trigger. Abrogation of palladin reduces the invasive capacity of these cells. CAF also play a role in cancer resistance and immuno-privilege, making the targeting of activators of these cells of interest for oncologists.     

Cardiovascular Effects of Implanted Acrylic Bone Cement

A pilot study has shown that there is usually but not invariably a fall in systemic arterial blood pressure within 90 seconds of implanting acrylic cement into the femoral shaft during hip arthroplasty. There is usually no change in arterial blood pressure on implanting acrylic cement into the acetabulum. The observed hypotension may be due to absorption of monomer or additives into the circulation, but the role of other factors needs investigation.     

氨基酸对心血管功能的影响

介绍了氨基酸对心血管功能的保护作用,氨基酸不仅可减轻心肌在缺血再灌注、心力衰竭和心肌梗塞中的损伤,而且对血压、血脂和心律失常也有一定的调节作用。     

心血管疾病在他汀类药物多效性中的获益

心血管疾病是危害人类健康的严重疾病,是造成死亡的重要原因。随着社会的发展,人们生活水平的提高,人口的老龄化,心血管疾病已经成为仅次于肿瘤的第二大杀手。他汀类药物在心血管疾病特别是冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病的防治中意义重大,其对血脂的的确切调节作用已经被大家所认可,并被公认为是此类药物临床获益的首要机制。然而,随着他汀类药物的广泛应用与基础、临床研究的不断深入,越来越多的证据表明除了对血脂的调节作用,他汀类药物还有抗炎症反应、抗氧化应激、减轻血管内皮损伤、改善心肌重塑、抑制血栓形成和抗血小板聚集、保护肾功能等其他作用,这些独立于降脂作用的其他作用统称为他汀类药物的多效性。他汀类药物多效性的发现进一步增加了其在心血管疾病防治中的临床应用价值。本文就几种常见心血管疾病在他汀类药物多效性中的获益做一简单介绍。     

Effects of Empathy and Conflict Resolution Strategies on Psychophysiological Arousal and Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships

The present research builds upon the extant literature as it assesses psychophysiological factors in relation to empathy, conflict resolution, and romantic relationship satisfaction. In this study, we examined physiological reactivity of individuals in the context of emotionally laden interactions with their romantic partners. Participants (N = 31) completed self-report measures and attended in-person data collection sessions with their romantic partners. Participants were guided through discussions of problems and strengths of their relationships in vivo with their partners while we measured participants’ skin conductance level (SCL) and interbeat interval (IBI) of the heart. We hypothesized that participants’ level of empathy towards their partners would be reflected by physiological arousal (as measured by SCL and IBI) and relationship satisfaction, such that higher levels of empathy would be linked to changes in physiological arousal and higher relationship satisfaction. Further, we hypothesized that differences would be found in physiological arousal (as measured by SCL and IBI) based on the type of conflict resolution strategy used by participants. Finally, we hypothesized that differences would be found in empathy towards partner and relationship satisfaction based on the type of conflict resolution strategies used by participants. Results partially supported hypotheses and were discussed in light of existing knowledge based on empirical and theoretical sources.