Histone modifications around individual BDNF gene promoters in prefrontal cortex are associated with extinction of conditioned fear

Extinction of conditioned fear is an important model both of inhibitory learning and of behavior therapy for human anxiety disorders. Like other forms of learning, extinction learning is long-lasting and depends on regulated gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms make an important contribution to persistent changes in gene expression; therefore, in these studies, we have investigated whether epigenetic regulation of gene expression contributes to fear extinction. Since brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is crucial for synaptic plasticity and for the maintenance of long-term memory, we examined histone modifications around two BDNF gene promoters after extinction of cued fear, as potential targets of learning-induced epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Valproic acid (VPA), used for some time as an anticonvulsant and a mood stabilizer, modulates the expression of BDNF, and is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. Here, we report that extinction of conditioned fear is accompanied by a significant increase in histone H4 acetylation around the BDNF P4 gene promoter and increases in BDNF exon I and IV mRNA expression in prefrontal cortex, that VPA enhances long-term memory for extinction because of its HDAC inhibitor effects, and that VPA potentiates the effect of weak extinction training on histone H4 acetylation around both the BDNF P1 and P4 gene promoters and on BDNF exon IV mRNA expression. These results suggest a relationship between histone H4 modification, epigenetic regulation of BDNF gene expression, and long-term memory for extinction of conditioned fear. In addition, they suggest that HDAC inhibitors may become a useful pharmacological adjunct to psychotherapy for human anxiety disorders.     

Internet-delivered assessment and manipulation of anxiety-linked attentional bias: Validation of a free-access attentional probe software package

It recently has been established within the laboratory that the attentional probe methodology not only can sensitively assess the threat attentional bias associated with anxiety vulnerability, but also can be configured to yield training tasks capable of modifying emotional vulnerability by manipulating such attentional selectivity. In order to appraise and exploit the potential practical applications of such procedures, it is desirable that clinical investigators without specialist equipment should become able to deliver such tasks within field settings. The present research program involved development of a fully customizable attentional probe software package, that delivers assessment and training versions of the probe task across the Internet. Two experimental studies served to validate the assessment and training efficacy of resulting probe task variants, completed remotely by GAD sufferers and nonclinical populations using their own computers. We advise fellow researchers how to freely download this software package for use within their own investigations.     

中国心理健康服务从业者的职业压力现状及影响因素

本研究目的是考察心理健康从业者的压力现状及其影响因素。769名来自全国20个省份的心理健康从业者填写了研究者自编的有93个多项选择题和填空题的问卷,其中2个从本问卷中抽取的5点量表具有可接受的心理测量学指标。主因素分析表明,心理健康从业者的职业压力可分为三类:专业能力不足、缺乏单位支持、工作负担过重。回归分析表明:影响职业压力的非专业因素有:年龄,性别,教育水平,全职或兼职,场所是否专用,以及每周咨询的小时数。在专业因素中,督导和培训能显著地缓解心理健康从业者的职业压力。治疗中的困难情况会显著地引发心理健康从业者的职业压力。     

对话：医学人人文中的普世关怀与公共理性

对话主张,我们不妨暂时放弃最高限度的理想化方式（终极关怀）,转而寻求宽容、宽泛前提下的公共理性,医学不仅是科学的,更是人文的。而要推动技术教育至上背景下生长的一代青年学子完成这样一次沉重的转向,有两门学科不可绕过,一门是科学史,另一门是科学哲学。     

大学生主动性人格与生涯适应力的关系:成就动机的中介作用及其性别差异

采用大学生生涯适应力、主动性人格与成就动机三个量表对864名大学生进行问卷调查,考察成就动机在大学生主动性人格和生涯适应力间的中介作用及其性别差异。结果发现：（1）成就动机在主动性人格和生涯适应力之间起部分中介作用;（2）成就动机的中介作用存在性别差异：追求成功的动机在主动性人格和生涯适应力间的中介作用在男生样本中为完全中介,在女生样本中为部分中介;避免失败的动机在主动性人格和生涯适应力间的中介作用在男生样本中不显著,在女生样本中为部分中介。研究结果显示,主动性人格可以通过成就动机的中介作用影响生涯适应力。     

大学生体像烦恼与恋爱压力——自尊的中介作用*

采用青少年体像烦恼量表、自尊量表和大学生恋爱压力量表对550位大学生进行调查,建立体像烦恼、自尊和恋爱压力的结构方程,考察自尊在体像烦恼和恋爱压力之间的中介作用。结果发现：（1）大学生体像烦恼、自尊和恋爱压力之间相关显著;（2）大学生体像烦恼对自尊和恋爱压力都有显著的预测作用,对自尊的预测是负向的,对恋爱压力的预测是正向的;（3）自尊在体像烦恼和恋爱压力之间起到部分中介作用（效应值为0.417）,即体像烦恼直接对恋爱压力产生影响,也可通过自尊间接影响恋爱压力。     

Research Findings Concerning Excavated Texts and Learning in Early China

In the course of Chinese history, we find three instances of important and deliberate attempts to reconstruct ancient history. In the first two, the main path followed in the reconstruction process concerned setting in order and recovering the traditional writings. But recently, the main path is to confirm the genuineness of the traditional writings, correcting errors and filling in omissions in the traditional concepts according to the “method of double proof.” Based on this, I aim to advance a new understanding of some key controversial issues in the history of learning in early China, concerning Confucius and the Book of Changes, the Analects and the Analects-kind texts, the School of Zisi and its literary output, Lao Zi the man and the book, and the dates of Wen Zi, Guanyin Zi, and Lie Zi. On this basis, I conclude that the development of pre-Qin philosophy went through four periods, with two significant turning points therein.     

国内六大区心理治疗和咨询管理状况的调查

本研究的主要目的是考察国内目前心理治疗和咨询管理方面的地区差异,并做出比较 .本研究采用自编的调查表对包括全国29个省、市、自治区的1543名被试进行了调查.按照行政区域分为华北、东北、华东、中南、西南和西北六个地区对调查所得结果进行统计分析 .结果发现各地区发展确实存在不均衡的情况,其中华北、华东地区专业水平较高,各种培训和机构的管理规范比较完善;而西北地区则相对比较落后,体现在专业机构要求不高,以及机构规范欠缺等方面.     

Religious Conservatives and Outsiders: Determinants of Cross-Racial Ties Among White Christians

This article analyzes how a congregation’s theology and denominational affiliation influence the racial ties of its white members. We posit two distinct pathways. In the first, theologically conservative congregations generate more embedded social ties (measured by number of friendships) than do non-conservative congregations, and more congregation friendships increase the likelihood of cross-racial ties. In the second pathway, congregations not affiliated with historically major denominational families report higher levels of racial diversity, and high levels of congregation racial diversity increase the likelihood of cross-racial ties. Our key methodological innovation is to divide Evangelical congregations into two categories: those affiliated with the historically major families (Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian) and those not (e.g., Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist). Christian groups that join theological conservatism and outsider (non-major) status generate high levels of friendships and racial diversity in their congregations, both of which contribute to cross-racial ties among white members. Analysis of survey data from a national probability sample of white Christians (2006 Faith Matters Survey) mostly supports our hypotheses.     

Does seeing an Asian face make speech sound more accented?

Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics - Prior studies have reported that seeing an Asian face makes American English sound more accented. The current study investigates whether this effect is...