Calcium signaling in mitral cell dendrites of olfactory bulbs of neonatal rats and mice during olfactory nerve Stimulation and beta-adrenoceptor activation

Synapses formed by the olfactory nerve (ON) provide the source of excitatory synaptic input onto mitral cells (MC) in the olfactory bulb. These synapses, which relay odor-specific inputs, are confined to the distally tufted single primary dendrites of MCs, the first stage of central olfactory processing. beta-adrenergic modulation of electrical and chemical signaling at these synapses may be involved in early odor preference learning. To investigate this possibility, we combined electrophysiological recordings with calcium imaging in olfactory bulb slices prepared from neonatal rats and mice. Activation of ON-MC synapses induced postsynaptic potentials, which were associated with large postsynaptic calcium transients. Neither electrical nor calcium responses were affected by beta-adrenergic agonists or antagonist. Immunocytochemical analysis of MCs and their tufted dendrites revealed clear immunoreactivity with antibodies against alpha1A (Cav2.1, P/Q-type) and alpha1B (Cav2.2, N-type), but not against alpha1C (Cav1.2, L-type) or alpha1D (Cav1.3, L-type) calcium channel subunits. Moreover, nimodipine, a blocker of L-type calcium channels, had no effect on either electrical or calcium signaling at ON-MC synapses. In contrast to previous evidence, we concluded that in neonatal rats and mice (P5-P8), mitral cells do not express significant amounts of L-type calcium channels, the calcium channel type that is often targeted by beta-adrenergic modulation. The absence of beta-adrenergic modulation on either electrical or calcium signaling at ON-MC synapses of neonatal rats and mice excludes the involvement of this mechanism in early odor preference learning.     

Does simile comprehension differ from metaphor comprehension? A functional MRI study

Since Aristotle, people have believed that metaphors and similes express the same type of figurative meaning, despite the fact that they are expressed with different sentence patterns. In contrast, recent psycholinguistic models have suggested that metaphors and similes may promote different comprehension processes. In this study, we investigated the neural substrates involved in the comprehension of metaphor and simile using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate whether simile comprehension differs from metaphor comprehension or not. In the metaphor and simile sentence conditions, higher activation was seen in the left inferior frontal gyrus. This result suggests that the activation in both metaphor and simile conditions indicates similar patterns in the left frontal region. The results also suggest that similes elicit higher levels of activation in the medial frontal region which might be related to inference processes, whereas metaphors elicit more right-sided prefrontal activation which might be related to figurative language comprehension.     

Experts in fast-ball sports reduce anticipation timing cost by developing inhibitory control

The present study was conducted to examine the relationship between expertise in movement correction and rate of movement reprogramming within limited time periods, and to clarify the specific cognitive processes regarding superior reprogramming ability in experts. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in baseball experts (n=7) and novices (n=7) while they completed a predictive task. The task was to manually press a button to coincide with the arrival of a moving target. The target moved at a constant velocity, and its velocity was suddenly decreased in some trials. Under changed velocity conditions, the baseball experts showed significantly smaller timing errors and a higher rate of timing reprogramming than the novices. Moreover, ERPs in baseball experts revealed faster central negative deflection and augmented frontal positive deflection at 200ms (N200) and 300ms (Pd300) after target deceleration, respectively. Following this, peak latency of the next positive component in the central region (P300b) was delayed. The negative deflection at 200ms, augmented frontal positive deflection, and late positive deflection at 300ms have been interpreted as reflecting stimulus detection, motor inhibition, and stimulus-response translation processes. Taken together, these findings suggest that the experts have developed movement reprogramming to avoid anticipation cost, and this is characterized by quick detection of target velocity change, stronger inhibition of the planned, incorrect response, and update of the stimulus-response relationship in the changed environment.     

Crucial information for efficient face searching by humans and Japanese macaques

Humans can efficiently detect a face among non-face objects, but few studies of this ability have been conducted in animals. Here, in Japanese macaques and humans, we examined visual searching for a face and explored what factors contribute to efficient facial information processing. Subjects were asked to search for an odd target among the different numbers of distracters. Faces of the subjects’ own species, the backs of the head of the subjects’ own species, faces of the subjects’ closely related species or race, and faces of species that are clearly different from the subjects’ own species were used as the target. Both the macaques and humans detected a face of their own species more efficiently than a face from a clearly different species. Similar efficient detections were confirmed for the faces of the subjects’ closely related species or race. These results suggest that conspecific faces and faces that share morphological similarity with conspecific faces can be detected efficiently among non-face objects by both humans and Japanese macaques. In another experiment, facial recognition efficiency was observed when the subjects searched for own-species faces that had lower-spatial-frequency components compared to faces with higher-spatial-frequency components. It seems reasonable that the ability to search efficiently for faces by using holistic face processing is derived from fundamental social cognition abilities that are broadly shared among species.     

Structure also supports autonomy: Measuring and defining autonomy‐supportive teaching in Japanese elementary foreign language classes

Recent discussions of autonomy have included the perspective that, as a basic human need across cultural environments, it includes not only choice but also personal endorsement of action. The present study focused on the cultural experience of autonomy‐support in Japanese elementary school foreign language classes. Three studies were conducted to investigate how students understand autonomy‐supportive teaching. In Study 1, exploratory focus groups defined cultural perspectives on autonomy‐support and structure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that clarity, pacing, and teachers' positive affect correspond to students' perception of supportive teaching. Study 2 investigated teacher support in relation to in‐class engagement using longitudinal structural equation modeling. The results indicated a strong relationship between perceptions of support and classroom behavioral engagement, with stable effects over time. Study 3 longitudinally investigated teacher support in relation to students' perceptions of personal autonomy, relatedness, and competence need satisfaction. Findings show a strong positive relationship between teacher support and need satisfaction with high test‐retest reliability. Discussion focuses on how autonomy need satisfaction is experienced in different cultures with differing social norms.     

Electrical properties and local structure of n-type conducting amorphous indium sulphide

An n-type amorphous chalcogenide, In₄₉S₅₁, having a band gap of 1.9eV, has been found. The conductivity in as-prepared films was ～10^?4?S?cm^?1, which increased to 1?×?10^?1?S?cm^?1 on post-annealing at 125°C in vacuum, accompanied by a reduction in the sulphur content of the films. TEM observations showed the amorphous nature of the films before and after annealing. Both Seebeck and Hall coefficients are negative, indicating that the major carriers are electrons. The Hall mobility can be as large as 26?cm²?V^?1?s^?1 at 300?K. No significant changes to the optical absorption were observed upon annealing. Analysis of the X-ray radial distribution function reveals that the sulphur atoms have four-fold coordination, making the structure more rigid than conventional amorphous chalcogenides in which the chalcogen is alloyed to elements of group IV or V of the periodic table. We tentatively associate the electron carrier generation with the formation of sulphur vacancies.     

Age-Related Changes in Distance From Center of Mass to Center of Pressure During One-Leg Standing

ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to clarify the age-related effects of distances from the center of pressure (COP) to the center of mass (COM) (COP-COM distances) during one-leg standing (OLS) task. Healthy old and young adults (n = 11 each) participated in this study. The authors divided the task into 3 phases (accelerated, decelerated, and steady) based on the relationship between COM and COP. COP-COM distances in the older group were significantly reduced during the accelerated phase, then significantly increased during the decelerated and steady phases. Furthermore, distances during these phases correlated inversely with OLS time. The authors conclude that OLS time is shortened by the larger braking response to COM shifts just after leg-lifting, and the production of larger inertial forces to maintain COM position during the OLS in older individuals.     

The spoiled pleasure of giving in to temptation

Satisfying one’s desires is typically a pleasurable experience and thus a source of momentary happiness. Getting happy in the here and now, however, may be more complicated when people yield to temptations—desires that conflict with personal self-regulatory goals so that they have reason to resist them. Using data from a large experience sampling study on everyday desire, we show that people receive considerably smaller gains in momentary happiness from enacting tempting as compared to nontempting desires. We further demonstrate that this “spoiled pleasure” effect can largely be explained by self-conscious emotions, as statistically accounting for guilt, pride, and regret as mediators reduced the observed hedonic gap to nonsignificance. The present findings challenge the assumption that the costs associated with temptation lie only in the future.     

Autonomic Activity, Pain, and Perceived Health in Patients on Sick Leave Due to Stress-Related Illnesses

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare autonomic activity, pressure-pain thresholds, and subjective assessments of health and behavior between patients with stress-related illnesses and healthy control subjects. METHODS: Twenty sick-listed patients with stress-related illnesses and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects performed tests of autonomic regulation and algometric tests, and completed questionnaires about physical and mental health and behavioral patterns. RESULTS: Patients exhibited higher autonomic reactivity to cognitive and physical laboratory tasks (p < 0.05), and had lower pressure-pain thresholds in the shoulders and lower back than healthy control subjects (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the patients rated considerably poorer health and health behavior than the control subjects (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate an engagement of the autonomic nervous system in stress-related illnesses. Furthermore, they show that patients with stress-related illnesses experience symptoms of musculoskeletal pain, and it is therefore recommended that assessments of musculoskeletal pain be incorporated in the clinical examinations and the rehabilitation of patients with stress-related illnesses.