•This study tested the two-step model of humor comprehension via EEG measures.•The incongruity detection step affects the Left Anterior Negativity and not the N400.•The resolution step involves the ...late LAN and the P600 extending in a later phase.•The later stage affects the LPC and possibly reflects more elaborative inferences.•Participant-based and item-based differences were observed in early LAN and P600.
We studied the electrophysiological correlates of verbal humor comprehension by comparing Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and time-frequency representations recorded while 50 participants read humorous and non-humorous passages. Using linear mixed models on single trials we showed that humorous target words elicited a larger Left Anterior Negativity (LAN), sustained in time and followed by a positive shift involving P600 and Late Positive Complex (LPC) components. In the time-frequency domain, humor was associated with a power decrease in the beta-band of the EEG. Furthermore, participants’ Autism-spectrum Quotient correlated with the size of the LAN, suggesting that social skills may affect humor comprehension during the early processing phase. Our results describe a sequence of events where incongruity detection (associated with the LAN) precedes a composite set of mechanisms serving resolution and acting in parallel: the sustained LAN might reflect the search for an alternative script, while the P600 might index inferential processes arriving at the resolution and the updating of the discourse model. The processing differences associated with the LPC and the changes in beta power may reflect a later stage of more elaborative and reflective processing (where the receiver reflects upon the joke’s solution) and the abandonment of the current discourse model.
Corneal endothelial decompensation (CED) is the major cause of the long-term graft failure, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to characterize the proteomic ...profile in CED aqueous humor (AH) after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). We collected AH samples (n = 6/group) from CED patients underwent PKP and cataract patients, respectively. The label-free quantitative proteomic analysis was performed to identify the differentially-expressed proteins (DEPs). The biological functions of DEPs were evaluated using Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) analysis. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction was employed to distinguish the hub proteins of DEPs, and the selected proteins were validated by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). The human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were adopted to investigate the effect of biglycan (BGN) on inflammatory response, and the subsequent outcomes of inflammation on human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs). A total of 174 DEPs were identified in CED AH of patients underwent PKP, including 102 up-regulated proteins and 72 down-regulated proteins. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the significant enrichment of cytokine-mediated signaling pathway and extracellular matrix (ECM) organization in the up-regulated proteins, as well as the alterations of cellular components, including the increase of collagen and complement component C1 complex, and reduction in extracellular exosomes. A hub protein cluster of 15 proteins was determined by Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE), including FN1, BGN, COMP, COL11A1, COLA3A1, and COL1A1. Moreover, BGN promoted pro-inflammatory cytokine (such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) production in PBMCs through NF-κB signaling pathway, which subsequently resulted in HCECs death. These findings provided a systemic protein profile of AH in CED patients after corneal transplantation, with the alterations implicated in cytokine-mediated signaling, ECM, complement system, and exsomes. The identified proteins and signaling pathways probably paved the novel insight into understanding the pathogenesis of the disease.
•The protein profile of aqueous humor in CED was quite different from cataract group.•The up-regulated proteins are functionally associated with inflammatory response.•Atypical enrichment of ECM and C1 complex in the up-regulated proteins of CED.•The extrinsic component of (plasma) membrane, and exosomes were remarkably reduced.
Conspiracy theories have accompanied vaccination since its mass introduction, circulating, among other forms, in humour – such as cartoons, and now, memes. Importantly, humour has targeted both ...vaccination and anti-vaccination stances. In this study, we discuss the peculiarities of humorous content within the vaccination debate and uncover the most popular thematic categories, forms and logical mechanisms of humour. We show that humorous and serious discussions on vaccination go hand-in-hand, but playfulness and ambiguity of humour complicate public understanding of the vaccination debate. Our analysis shows that vaccination humour often simplifies the complex issue of vaccination and makes it more understandable and more tangible for a broad audience.
In order to elucidate involvement of cyclic AMP and intracellular Ca2+,Ca2+i, in the modulation of aqueous humour formation (AHF), we studied the effects of terbutaline, forskolin and 8-Br-cAMP in ...the isolated bovine eye. We also studied the interaction of cAMP on calcium signaling in cultured ciliary epithelial (CE) cells. Drug effects on AHF were measured by fluorescein dilution. Drug effects on Ca2+i were studied by the fura-2 fluorescence ratio technique. Terbutaline (100 nmol-100 M), forskolin (30 nM-100 M) or 8-Br-cAMP (100 nM- 10 μM), administered in the arterial perfusate produced significant reductions in AHF. The AH reducing effect of terbutaline was blocked by a selective inhibitor of protein kinase A (KT-5720). ATP (100 M) caused a rapid, transient (peak) increase in Ca2+i followed by a sustained plateau phase lasting more than 5 minutes. Preincubation of the cells (6 min) with terbutaline, forskolin or 8-Br-cAMP significantly reduced the peak calcium response to ATP. The sustained plateau phase of the response, on the other hand, was augmented by each of the agents. KT-5720 partially reversed the inhibitory effect of terbutaline on the peak and totally inhibited its effect on the plateau phase. These data indicate: (a) that AHF in the bovine eye can be manipulated through cyclic AMP, operating via protein kinase A, (b) that protein kinase A can affect Ca2+i homeostasis, (c) that calcium release from the intracellular store, not the entry, affects AHF, and (d) that interaction of Ca2+i with cAMP plays a role in modulating AH secretion.
This study investigated relational uncertainty as a mechanism through which perceived partner humor use affects recipient’s relationship satisfaction. Two hundred individuals completed measures of ...their partners’ perceived positive and negative humor use, their relational uncertainty and relationship satisfaction. Results reveal that perceived partner’s positive relational humor use predicted greater relationship satisfaction, and perceived partner’s negative relational humor use predicted diminished relationship satisfaction. Further, relational uncertainty mediated relationships between perceived partner positive humor and satisfaction and perceived partner negative humor and satisfaction.
Purpose
This article aims to review the impact of detecting and quantifying intraocular biomarkers (liquid biopsy) in both aqueous and vitreous humor in eyes of people affected by diabetes mellitus.
...Methods
This is a detailed review about aqueous and/or vitreous humor sampling in human diabetic eyes for proteomic and/or metabolomic analysis contributing to the understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment effects of diabetic retinopathy.
Results
Aqueous and vitreous humor molecular biomarkers proved to be directly correlated to each other and valuable to study retinal conditions. Moreover, proteomic and metabolomic analysis showed that the biomarkers of neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and vasculopathy are detectable in intraocular fluids and that their concentration changes in different stages of disease, and in response to treatment of all diabetic retinopathy aspects, mainly diabetic macular edema and proliferative retinopathy.
Conclusions
Liquid biopsy offers the possibility to improve our knowledge of intraocular eye disease induced by diabetes mellitus. The exact quantification of intraocular biomarkers contributes to the precision medicine approach even in the diabetic retinopathy scenario. The diffusion of this approach should be encouraged to have quantifiable information directly from the human model, which may be coupled with imaging data.
Since the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic, there have been widespread conversations about the origins of the virus and who to blame for it. This article focuses on the online hate directed at ...Chinese and Asian people during the pandemic. Taking a critical discursive psychological approach, we analysed seven online threads related to COVID‐19 and China from two Finnish websites (Suomi24 and Ylilauta) and one US (8kun) site. We identified three discursive trends associated with dehumanising Chinese populations: ‘monstrous Chinese’, ‘immoral Chinese’ and ‘China as a threat’, which created different forms of dehumanisation on a continuum from harsher dehumanisation to milder depersonalisation. The animalistic metaphors, coarse language, humorous frames and conspiracy beliefs worked to rhetorically justify the dehumanisation of Chinese individuals, making it more acceptable to portray them as a homogeneous and inhumane mass of people that deserves to be attacked. This study contributes to the field of discursive research on dehumanisation by deepening our knowledge of the specific features of Sinophobic hate speech.
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