Emotional Devaluation of Distracting Patterns and Faces: A Consequence of Attentional Inhibition During Visual Search?

Visual search has been studied extensively, yet little is known about how its constituent processes affect subsequent emotional evaluation of searched-for and searched-through items. In 3 experiments, the authors asked observers to locate a colored pattern or tinted face in an array of other patterns or faces. Shortly thereafter, either the target or a distractor was rated on an emotional scale (patterns, cheerfulness; faces, trustworthiness). In general, distractors were rated more negatively than targets. Moreover, distractors presented near the target during search were rated significantly more negatively than those presented far from the target. Target-distractor proximity affected distractor ratings following both simple-feature and difficult-conjunction search, even when items appeared at different locations during evaluation than during search and when faces previously tinted during search were presented in grayscale at evaluation. An attentional inhibition account is offered to explain these effects of attention on emotional evaluation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Decision rules for determining terrestrial movement and the consequences for filtering high-resolution global positioning system tracks: a case study using the African lion (Panthera leo)

The combined use of global positioning system (GPS) technology and motion sensors within the discipline of movement ecology has increased over recent years. This is particularly the case for instrumented wildlife, with many studies now opting to record parameters at high (infra-second) sampling frequencies. However, the detail with which GPS loggers can elucidate fine-scale movement depends on the precision and accuracy of fixes, with accuracy being affected by signal reception. We hypothesized that animal behaviour was the main factor affecting fix inaccuracy, with inherent GPS positional noise (jitter) being most apparent during GPS fixes for non-moving locations, thereby producing disproportionate error during rest periods. A movement-verified filtering (MVF) protocol was constructed to compare GPS-derived speed data with dynamic body acceleration, to provide a computationally quick method for identifying genuine travelling movement. This method was tested on 11 free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) fitted with collar-mounted GPS units and tri-axial motion sensors recording at 1 and 40 Hz, respectively. The findings support the hypothesis and show that distance moved estimates were, on average, overestimated by greater than 80% prior to GPS screening. We present the conceptual and mathematical protocols for screening fix inaccuracy within high-resolution GPS datasets and demonstrate the importance that MVF has for avoiding inaccurate and biased estimates of movement.     

Sex and Depot Differences in Palmitoleic Acid Content of Human Blood and Fat

Palmitoleic acid has been classified as an insulin-sensitizing lipokine, but evidence for this from human studies has been inconsistent. We hypothesized that this is related to either the types of samples or conditions under which samples are collected. We measured plasma palmitoleic acid and total free fatty acids (FFA) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography in blood samples collected from 34 adults under a variety of conditions. We collected duplicate samples of adipose (n = 10), FFA (n = 9), and very low density lipoprotein triacylglycerol (VLDL-TAG) (n = 7) to measure the palmitoleic acid as a percentage of total fatty acids. We tested whether the percentage of palmitoleic acid was correlated with insulin resistance, as measured by homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Adipose stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD-1) protein was measured by capillary Western blotting. FFA-palmitoleic acid percentage increased as a function of total FFA and was greater (p < 0.005) in females than males. Adipose palmitoleic acid percentage was greater in females than males (p < 0.001), as was adipose SCD-1. Palmitoleic acid was greater in femoral fat than in abdominal fat in both females and males (p < 0.001), and correlated positively with HOMA-IR only in females. The test–retest reliability values for percentage palmitoleic acid were 7 ± 10% for adipose, 24 ± 26% for VLDL, and 53 ± 31% for FFA. Because FFA-palmitoleic acid percentage varies as a function of total FFA, investigators should re-evaluate how palmitoleic acid data is presented. The positive relationship between adipose palmitoleic acid and HOMA-IR in females suggests that it is not a potent insulin-sensitizing lipokine in humans.     

Identification of Tumor Suppressive Genes Regulated by miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

We identified the microRNA (miRNA) expression signature of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tissues by RNA sequencing, in which 168 miRNAs were significantly upregulated, including both strands of the miR-31 duplex (miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p). The aims of this study were to identify networks of tumor suppressor genes regulated by miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p in HNSCC cells. Our functional assays showed that inhibition of miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p attenuated cancer cell malignant phenotypes (cell proliferation, migration, and invasion), suggesting that they had oncogenic potential in HNSCC cells. Our in silico analysis revealed 146 genes regulated by miR-31 in HNSCC cells. Among these targets, the low expression of seven genes (miR-31-5p targets: CACNB2 and IL34; miR-31-3p targets: CGNL1, CNTN3, GAS7, HOPX, and PBX1) was closely associated with poor prognosis in HNSCC. According to multivariate Cox regression analyses, the expression levels of five of those genes (CACNB2: p = 0.0189; IL34: p = 0.0425; CGNL1: p = 0.0014; CNTN3: p = 0.0304; and GAS7: p = 0.0412) were independent prognostic factors in patients with HNSCC. Our miRNA signature and miRNA-based approach will provide new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of HNSCC.     

Temperature and frequency dependence of dielectric loss of Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3 microwave ceramics

Ba(Mg_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃ ceramic possessing extremely high Q × f value of more than 300 THz at microwave frequency was developed in our previous study. It is of great interest to understand the mechanism of microwave absorption in such a practical material. In the present study we report on the temperature dependence of the dielectric loss in the Ba(Mg_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃. The mechanism of the microwave absorption is discussed using two phonons difference process. The samples were prepared by conventional solid state reaction and sintered at 1893 K in oxygen atmosphere. Dielectric properties in the microwave range were measured by Hakki & Colemann and resonant cavity methods in the temperature range of 20–300 K. Whispering gallery mode technique was used for the measurement of the dielectric properties at the millimeter wave frequency. Dielectric loss of the Ba(Mg_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃ at the microwave frequency increases with temperature between 200 and 300 K in general agreement with the theory of intrinsic dielectric loss derived from the two phonon difference process. However below 200 K, the dielectric loss has shown a distinctive behavior with a loss peak at 40 K. It was inferred that the loss peak of the Ba(Mg_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃ was caused by the local orientation polarization having dispersion at the microwave frequency.     

Long-span optical FSK heterodyne single-filter detection transmission experiment using a phase-tunable DFB laser diode

High receiver sensitivity (?51.9 dBm) and long span (243 km) transmission expriments have been achieved with a 140 Mbit/s optical FSK heterodyne single-filter detection system, using a phase-tunable DFB laser diode as a transmitter. This has enabled direct FSK modulation without waveform distortion. Also, a 280 Mbit/s 204 km transmission experiment has been carried out successfully.     

An optical FSK heterodyne dual filter detection system for takingadvantage of DFB LD applications

An optimum system configuration for an optical frequency-shift keying (FSK) heterodyne dual-filter detection system with distributed feedback laser diodes (DFB LDs) is investigated, taking into consideration LD phase noise influence. Experimental and theoretical examination show that an IF filter bandwidth greater than 10 times the beat spectral linewidth is necessary to avoid LD phase noise influence. A 301-km long-span transmission experiment has been successfully carried out with an optimum configuration for 34 Mb/s. High receiver sensitivity, -61.8 dBm with more than 10 dB improvement over the direct detection system, has also been achieved. Experimental results at higher bit rates of 140, 200, and 280 Mb/s indicate that a modulation index greater than two is desirable to avoid cross talk between mark and space signals. With sufficient frequency deviations, high receiver sensitivities of -54.7 dBm (140 Mb/s) and -52.5 dBm (200 Mb/s) have been achieved. These represent 9.6- and 9-dB sensitivity improvement, respectively, over direct detection systems. A guide for FSK dual-filter detection system design is derived from the experimental and theoretical results. Potential application regions for a dual-filter detection system with DFB LDs are determined     

Impact of Oncogenic Targets by Tumor-Suppressive miR-139-5p and miR-139-3p Regulation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

We newly generated an RNA-sequencing-based microRNA (miRNA) expression signature of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Analysis of the signature revealed that both strands of some miRNAs, including miR-139-5p (the guide strand) and miR-139-3p (the passenger strand) of miR-139, were downregulated in HNSCC tissues. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas confirmed the low expression levels of miR-139 in HNSCC. Ectopic expression of these miRNAs attenuated the characteristics of cancer cell aggressiveness (e.g., cell proliferation, migration, and invasion). Our in silico analyses revealed a total of 28 putative targets regulated by pre-miR-139 (miR-139-5p and miR-139-3p) in HNSCC cells. Of these, the GNA12 (guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit alpha-12) and OLR1 (oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1) expression levels were identified as independent factors that predicted patient survival according to multivariate Cox regression analyses (p = 0.0018 and p = 0.0104, respectively). Direct regulation of GNA12 and OLR1 by miR-139-3p in HNSCC cells was confirmed through luciferase reporter assays. Moreover, overexpression of GNA12 and OLR1 was detected in clinical specimens of HNSCC through immunostaining. The involvement of miR-139-3p (the passenger strand) in the oncogenesis of HNSCC is a new concept in cancer biology. Our miRNA-based strategy will increase knowledge on the molecular pathogenesis of HNSCC.     

High-speed planar-structure Inp/InGaAsP/InGaAs avalanche photodiode grown by VPE

Planar-structure InP/InGaAsP/InGaAs avalanche photo-diodes have been realised by using a VPE-growth technique and a Be+ implanted guard ring. Sensitivity measurement has been performed at 1.3 ?m and 1.8 Gbit/s. The minimum average received level required for 10?9 BER was ?31.3 dBm, which was 1.2 dB better than the value for the Ge-APD.     

Reading speech and hearing print: Constraining models of visual word recognition by exploring connections with speech perception.

Current models of reading and speech perception differ widely in their assumptions regarding the interaction of orthographic and phonological information during language perception. The present experiments examined this interaction through a 2-alternative, forced-choice paradigm, and explored the nature of the connections between graphemic and phonemic processing subsystems. Exps 1 and 2 demonstrated a facilitation-dominant influence (i.e., benefits exceed costs) of graphemic contexts on phoneme discrimination, which is interpreted as a sensitivity effect. Exps 3 and 4 demonstrated a symmetrical influence (i.e., benefits equal costs) of phonemic contexts on grapheme discrimination, which can be interpreted as either a bias effect, or an equally facilitative/inhibitory sensitivity effect. General implications for the functional architecture of language processing models are discussed, as well as specific implications for models of visual word recognition and speech perception. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)