Looking Time Predicts Choice but Not Aesthetic Value

Although visual fixations are commonly used to index stimulus-driven or internally-determined preference, recent evidence suggests that visual fixations can also be a source of decisional bias that moves selection toward the fixated object. These contrasting results raise the question of whether visual fixations always index comparative processes during choice-based tasks, or whether they might better reflect internal preferences when the decision does not carry any economic or corporeal consequences. In two experiments, participants chose which of two objects were more aesthetically pleasing (Exp.1) or appeared more organic (Exp.2), and provided independent aesthetic ratings of the stimuli. Our results demonstrated that fixation parameters were a better index of choice in both decisional domains than of aesthetic preference. The data support models in which visual fixations are specifically related to the evolution of decision processes even when the decision has no tangible consequences.     

The protonated 2-halogenated imidazolium cation as the noncovalent interaction donor: the σ-hole and π-hole interactions

The σ-hole and π-hole of the protonated 2-halogenated imidazolium cation (XC₃H₄N₂ ⁺; X = F, Cl, Br, I) were investigated and analyzed. The monomers of (CH₃)₃SiY(Y=F, Cl, Br, I), considered as the Lewis base, were combined with the σ-hole and π-hole of XC₃H₄N₂ ⁺ to form the σ-hole and π-hole interactions in the bimolecular complexes (CH₃)₃SiY?·?·?·?XC₃H₄N₂ ⁺ and (CH₃)₃SiY?·?·?·?C₃(X)H₄N₂ ⁺(X/Y=F, Cl, Br, I), respectively. For both the σ-hole and π-hole interactions, the equilibrium geometries of complexes show regular changes according to the sequence of heavy sequence of the noncovalent interaction acceptors and donors. The electrostatic energy is the main contribution in the formation of both kinds of interactions, it has linear relations with the V _S,max values of σ-hole and the V′ _S,max values of π-hole. Both the σ-hole and π-hole interactions belong to the closed-shell and noncovalent interactions. The π-hole interactions are stronger than the σ-hole interactions. For the π-hole interactions, the contribution percents of the dispersion energies are somewhat greater than those of the σ-hole interactions, while it is contrary for the polarization energy.

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Graphical Abstract The protonated 2-halogenated imidazolium cation as the noncovalent interaction donor: the σ-hole and π-hole interactions?

     

Genetic Variation and Breeding Signature in Mass Selection Lines of the Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) Assessed by SNP Markers

In breeding industries, a challenging problem is how to keep genetic diversity over generations. To investigate genetic variation and identify breeding signatures in mass selected lines of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), three sixth-generation selected lines and four wild populations were assessed using 103 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The genetic diversity data indicated that the selected lines exhibited a significant reduction in the observed heterozygosity and observed number of alleles per locus compared with the wild populations (P≤0.05), indicating the selected lines tended to lose genetic diversity contrasted with the wild populations. The unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis showed that the wild populations and selected lines were not separated into two groups. Using four outlier tests, a total of 17 loci were found under selection at two levels. The global outlier detection suggested that 4 common outlier loci were subject to selection using both the hierarchical island model and Bayesian likelihood approaches. At regional level, 3 SNPs were detected as outlier using at least two outlier tests and one outlier SNP (CgSNP309) was overlapped in the two wild-selected population comparisons. The candidate outlier SNPs provide valuable resources for future association studies in C. gigas.     

Systematic Analysis of Absorbed Anti-Inflammatory Constituents and Metabolites of Sarcandra glabra in Rat Plasma Using Ultra-High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Linear Trap Quadrupole Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

Ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) was coupled with linear ion trap quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap) and was used for the first time to systematically analyze the absorbed components and metabolites in rat plasma after oral administration of the water extract of Sarcandra glabra. This extract is a well-known Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of inflammation and immunity related diseases. The anti-inflammatory activities of the absorbed components were evaluated by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production and proinflammatory genes expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine RAW 264.7 macrophages. As a result, 54 components in Sarcandra glabra were detected in dosed rat plasma, and 36 of them were positively identified. Moreover, 23 metabolites were characterized and their originations were traced. Furthermore, 20 of the 24 studied components showed anti-inflammatory activities. These results provide evidence that this method efficiency detected constituents in plasma based on the anti-inflammatory mechanism of multiple components and would be a useful technique for screening multiple targets for natural medicine research.     

Acute Effects of Particulate Air Pollution on the Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease in Shanghai,China

Introduction

Evidence based on ecological studies in China suggests that short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) is associated with cardiovascular mortality. However, there is less evidence of PM-related morbidity for coronary heart disease (CHD) in China. This study aims to investigate the relationship between acute PM exposure and CHD incidence in people aged above 40 in Shanghai.

Methods

Daily CHD events during 2005–2012 were identified from outpatient and emergency department visits. Daily average concentrations for particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microns (PM₁₀) were collected over the 8-year period. Particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microns (PM_2.5) were measured from 2009 to 2012. Analyses were performed using quasi-poisson regression models adjusting for confounders, including long-term trend, seasonality, day of the week, public holiday and meteorological factors. The effects were also examined by gender and age group (41–65 years, and >65 years).

Results

There were 619928 CHD outpatient and emergency department visits. The average concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were 81.7μg/m³ and 38.6μg/m³, respectively. Elevated exposure to PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 was related with increased risk of CHD outpatients and emergency department visits in a short time course. A 10 μg/m³ increase in the 2-day PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 was associated with increase of 0.23% (95% CI: 0.12%, 0.34%) and 0.74% (95% CI: 0.44%, 1.04%) in CHD morbidity, respectively. The associations appeared to be more evident in the male and the elderly.

Conclusion

Short-term exposure to high levels of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 was associated with increased risk of CHD outpatient and emergency department visits. Season, gender and age were effect modifiers of their association.