Emotion has a substantial influence on the cognitive processes in humans, including perception, attention, learning, memory, reasoning, and problem solving. Emotion has a particularly strong ...influence on attention, especially modulating the selectivity of attention as well as motivating action and behavior. This attentional and executive control is intimately linked to learning processes, as intrinsically limited attentional capacities are better focused on relevant information. Emotion also facilitates encoding and helps retrieval of information efficiently. However, the effects of emotion on learning and memory are not always univalent, as studies have reported that emotion either enhances or impairs learning and long-term memory (LTM) retention, depending on a range of factors. Recent neuroimaging findings have indicated that the amygdala and prefrontal cortex cooperate with the medial temporal lobe in an integrated manner that affords (i) the amygdala modulating memory consolidation; (ii) the prefrontal cortex mediating memory encoding and formation; and (iii) the hippocampus for successful learning and LTM retention. We also review the nested hierarchies of circular emotional control and cognitive regulation (bottom-up and top-down influences) within the brain to achieve optimal integration of emotional and cognitive processing. This review highlights a basic evolutionary approach to emotion to understand the effects of emotion on learning and memory and the functional roles played by various brain regions and their mutual interactions in relation to emotional processing. We also summarize the current state of knowledge on the impact of emotion on memory and map implications for educational settings. In addition to elucidating the memory-enhancing effects of emotion, neuroimaging findings extend our understanding of emotional influences on learning and memory processes; this knowledge may be useful for the design of effective educational curricula to provide a conducive learning environment for both traditional "live" learning in classrooms and "virtual" learning through online-based educational technologies.
The plasticized solid bio-polymer electrolytes (SBEs) system has been formed by introducing glycerol (Gly) as the plasticizer into the carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) doped with oleic acid (OA) via ...solution casting techniques. The ionic conductivity of the plasticized SBEs has been studied using Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy. The highest conductivity achieved is 1.64 × 10(-4) S cm(-1) for system containing 40 wt. % of glycerol. FTIR deconvolution technique had shown that the conductivity of CMC-OA-Gly SBEs is primarily influenced by the number density of mobile ions. Transference number measurement has shown that the cation diffusion coefficient and ionic mobility is higher than anion which proved the plasticized polymer system is a proton conductor.
Natural killer (NK) cell survival and, hence, cytotoxicity requires cytokine support. We determined whether expression of interleukin-15 (IL-15) in a nonsecretory, membrane-bound form could sustain ...NK cell growth. We linked the human IL15 gene to that encoding CD8α transmembrane domain (mbIL15). After retroviral transduction, human NK cells expressed mbIL15 on the cell surface; IL-15 secretion was negligible. Survival of mbIL15-NK cells without interleukin-2 (IL-2) after 7-day culture was vastly superior to that of mock-transduced NK cells (P < .001, n = 15) and of NK cells expressing nonmembrane-bound IL-15 (P = .025, n = 9); viable mbIL15-NK cells were detectable for up to 2 months. In immunodeficient mice, mbIL15-NK cells expanded without IL-2 and were detectable in all tissues examined (except brain) in much higher numbers than mock-transduced NK cells (P < .001). Expansion further increased with IL-2. The primary mechanism of mbIL15 stimulation was autocrine; it activated IL-15 signaling and antiapoptotic signaling. NK cells expressing mbIL15 had higher cytotoxicity against leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumor cells in vitro and against leukemia and sarcoma cells in xenograft models. Thus, mbIL15 confers independent growth to NK cells and enhances their antitumor capacity. Infusion of mbIL15-NK cells would allow NK cell therapy without the potential adverse effects of cytokine administration.
•Expression of IL-15 in a membrane-bound form sustains NK cell survival and expansion in vitro and in vivo without exogenous cytokines.•These NK cells have superior cytotoxicity against leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumor cells, supporting their clinical testing.
Natural environments are highly dynamic, and this complexity challenges animals to accurately integrate external cues to shape their responses. Adaptive developmental plasticity enables organisms to ...remodel their physiology, morphology, and behavior to better suit the predicted future environment and ultimately enhance their ecological success.1 Understanding how an animal generates a neural representation of current and forecasted environmental conditions and converts these circuit computations into a predictive adaptive physiological response may provide fundamental insights into the molecular and cellular basis of decision-making over developmentally relevant timescales. Although it is known that sensory cues usually trigger the developmental switch and that downstream inter-tissue signaling pathways enact the alternative developmental phenotype, the integrative neural mechanisms that transduce external inputs into effector pathways are less clear.2,3 In adverse environments, Caenorhabditis elegans larvae can enter a stress-resistant diapause state with arrested metabolism and reproductive physiology.4 Amphid sensory neurons feed into both rapid chemotactic and short-term foraging mode decisions, mediated by amphid and pre-motor interneurons, as well as the long-term diapause entry decision. Here, we identify amphid interneurons that integrate pheromone cues and propagate this information via a neuropeptidergic pathway to influence larval developmental fate, bypassing the pre-motor system. AIA interneuron-derived FLP-2 neuropeptide signaling promotes reproductive growth, and AIA activity is suppressed by pheromones. FLP-2 signaling is inhibited by upstream glutamatergic transmission via the metabotropic receptor MGL-1 and mediated by the broadly expressed neuropeptide G-protein-coupled receptor NPR-30. Thus, metabotropic signaling allows the reuse of parts of a sensory system for a decision with a distinct timescale.
•AIA-interneuron-derived FLP-2 neuropeptide signaling promotes reproductive growth•AIA activity is inhibited by conspecific-secreted pheromones•Glutamatergic transmission via MGL-1 metabotropic receptor inhibits FLP-2 signaling•The broadly expressed NPR-30 neuropeptide receptor is downstream of FLP-2 signaling
Animals integrate external stimuli to shape their physiological responses throughout development, but these integrative mechanisms are largely unknown. Chai et al. show that the interneuron-expressed metabotropic glutamate receptor MGL-1 establishes an alternative developmental phenotype by inhibiting growth-promoting neuropeptide signaling.
• The aminated and polyacrylic acid sodium-grafted cottons are successfully prepared by surface-initiated ATRP. • The grafted long polymers with high density of amine and carboxyl groups are ...responsible for the enhanced sorption of Cu(II) and Pb(II). • The maximum sorption capacities of Cu(II) and Pb(II) on the P(AA-Na)-grafted cotton are 2.45 and 2.44
mmol/g, respectively.
The surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was used to successfully prepare the aminated cotton and polyacrylic acid sodium (P(AA-Na))-grafted cotton for the efficient removal of Cu(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous solution in this study. The modified cotton surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The grafted long polymers with high density of amine and carboxyl groups on the cotton surfaces were responsible for the enhanced adsorption of heavy metals. The sorption behaviors including sorption kinetics, isotherms and pH effect were investigated. The sorption equilibrium of Cu(II) and Pb(II) was achieved within 1
h on the P(AA-Na)-grafted cotton, much faster than 8
h on the aminated cotton. According to the Langmuir fitting, the maximum sorption capacities of Cu(II) and Pb(II) on the P(AA-Na)-grafted cotton were 2.45 and 2.44
mmol/g, respectively, higher than many adsorbents reported in the literature. The P(AA-Na)-grafted cotton had better adsorption behaviors for Cu(II) and Pb(II) than the aminated cotton.
Gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine neoplasms can be broadly separated into well‐ and poorly differentiated categories. Tumours within each category have similarities in morphology and ...immunophenotype, but vary in grade, behaviour, molecular signature and responses to therapy. The aetiology of these differences is multifactorial. Site of origin, mucosal milieu and hereditary influences are some of the currently known factors. Given these differences, staging and grading systems continue to evolve, and the most recent World Health Organization classification of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms reflects this by introducing a grade 3 neuroendocrine tumour category for morphologically well‐differentiated tumours with an elevated Ki‐67 proliferation index and/or mitotic count. This review aims to highlight current classification guidelines with discussion of unique site‐specific features of selected GEP neuroendocrine neoplasms and an emphasis on practical issues related to daily reporting.
The GAL4-UAS system is a powerful tool for manipulating gene expression, but its application in Caenorhabditis elegans has not been described. Here we systematically optimize the system's three main ...components to develop a temperature-optimized GAL4-UAS system (cGAL) that robustly controls gene expression in C. elegans from 15 to 25 °C. We demonstrate this system's utility in transcriptional reporter analysis, site-of-action experiments and exogenous transgene expression; and we provide a basic driver and effector toolkit.
Background and purpose: The clinical use of arsenic trioxide (As2O3), a potent antineoplastic agent, is limited by its severe cardiotoxic effects. QT interval prolongation and apoptosis have been ...implicated in the cardiotoxicity of As2O3. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of resveratrol on As2O3‐induced apoptosis and cardiac injury.
Experimental approach: In a mouse model of As2O3‐induced cardiomyopathy in vivo, QT intervals and plasma enzyme activities were measured; cardiac tissues were examined histologically and apoptosis assessed. In H9c2 cardiomyocyte cells, viability, apoptosis, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cellular calcium levels were measured.
Key results: In the mouse model, resveratrol reduced As2O3‐induced QT interval prolongation and cardiomyocyte injury (apoptosis, myofibrillar loss and vacuolization). In addition, increased lactate dehydrogenase activity and decreased activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase were observed in the plasma of As2O3‐treated mice; these changes were prevented by pretreatment with resveratrol. In As2O3‐treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes, resveratrol significantly increased cardiomyocyte viability and attenuated cell apoptosis as measured by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, TdT‐mediated dUTP nick end labelling assay and caspase‐3 activity. As2O3‐induced generation of ROS and intracellular calcium mobilization in H9c2 cells was also suppressed by pretreatment with resveratrol.
Conclusions and implications: Our results showed that resveratrol significantly attenuated As2O3‐induced QT prolongation, structural abnormalities and oxidative damage in the heart. In H9c2 cardiomyocytes, resveratrol also decreased apoptosis, production of ROS and intracellular calcium mobilization induced by treatment with As2O3. These observations suggested that resveratrol has the potential to protect against cardiotoxicity in As2O3‐exposed patients.
Composite materials are increasingly being used in applications in which their fire response is a critical consideration. Environmental concerns motivate the use of natural fibres, but they represent ...an additional fuel source for combustion, and their composites will perform worse in flammability testing compared to synthetic alternatives. An experimental study is presented, comparing flax fibre reinforced epoxy samples to composites formed from glass fibre reinforcements of similar architecture, reinforcing the same resin system. The flax composites ignite earlier, release greater levels of heat, and their structure deforms significantly during combustion. Further studies are required to increase understanding of the combustion process, if efficient mechanisms are to be found to reduce flammability of natural fibre composites to acceptable levels.
Thin films of high molecular weight polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with lithium triflate (LiCF
3SO
3) salt were prepared by solution casting method. The ionic conductivity and dielectric measurements were ...carried out on these films over a wide frequency regime at various temperatures. The conductivity–temperature plots were found to obey classical Arrhenius relationship. The dielectric behavior was analysed using dielectric permittivity and dielectric modulus of the samples. FTIR studies show some simple overlapping and shift in peaks between high molecular weight polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with lithium triflate (LiCF
3SO
3) salt in the polymer electrolyte complexes.
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