Amygdala response to emotional stimuli without awareness:Facts and Interpretations

Over the past two decades, evidence has accumulated that the human amygdala exerts some of its functions also when the observer is not aware of the content, or even presence, of the triggering emotional stimulus. Nevertheless, there is as of yet no consensus on the limits and conditions that affect the extent of amygdalas response without focused attention or awareness. Here we review past and recent studies on this subject, examining neuroimaging literature on healthy participants as well as brain-damaged patients, and we comment on their strengths and limits. We propose a theoretical distinction between processes involved in attentional unawareness, wherein the stimulus is potentially accessible to enter visual awareness but fails to do so because attention is diverted, and in sensory unawareness, wherein the stimulus fails to enter awareness because its normal processing in the visual cortex is suppressed. We argue this distinction, along with data sampling amygdala responses with high temporal resolution, helps to appreciate the multiplicity of functional and anatomical mechanisms centered on the amygdala and supporting its role in non-conscious emotion processing. Separate, but interacting, networks relay visual information to the amygdala exploiting different computational properties of subcortical and cortical routes, thereby supporting amygdala functions at different stages of emotion processing. This view reconciles some apparent contradictions in the literature, as well as seemingly contrasting proposals, such as the dual stage and the dual route model. We conclude that evidence in favor of the amygdala response without awareness is solid, albeit this response originates from different functional mechanisms and is driven by more complex neural networks than commonly assumed. Acknowledging the complexity of such mechanisms can foster new insights on the varieties of amygdala functions without awareness and their impact on human behavior

Facing up to bias in healthcare: The influence of familiarity appearance on hiring decisions

Associations between facial appearance and hiring decisions are well-documented within job literature as a source of decision misjudgment with economic and human costs. Notwithstanding, this aspect is yet to be investigated in healthcare. We collected 90 pictures of new-graduates nurses faces to be judged on different facial appearance-based traits by an independent sample. Six months after graduation, the same new-graduates were interviewed about their job situation. Binomial logistic regression was conducted to examine whether facial appearance ratings would predict the probability to be hired as nurse. Results showed that applicants with a face conveying a feeling of familiarity were more likely to be hired. Considering that people might be inclined to these biases during societal crises and the exceptional need to quickly recruit health professionals during COVID-19 pandemic, our study recommends special attention to prevent the influence of facial appearance-based evaluations not reflecting real skills to limit potentially adverse consequences

Vanin-1 licenses inflammatory mediator production by gut epithelial cells and controls colitis by antagonizing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ activity

Colitis involves immune cell–mediated tissue injuries, but the contribution of epithelial cells remains largely unclear. Vanin-1 is an epithelial ectoenzyme with a pantetheinase activity that provides cysteamine/cystamine to tissue. Using the 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-colitis model we show here that Vanin-1 deficiency protects from colitis. This protection is reversible by administration of cystamine or bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ antagonist. We further demonstrate that Vanin-1, by antagonizing PPARγ, licenses the production of inflammatory mediators by intestinal epithelial cells. We propose that Vanin-1 is an epithelial sensor of stress that exerts a dominant control over innate immune responses in tissue. Thus, the Vanin-1/pantetheinase activity might be a new target for therapeutic intervention in inflammatory bowel disease

Characterization of the Nairobi River catchment impact zone and occurrence of pharmaceuticals: implications for an impact zone inclusive environmental risk assessment

The largely uncontrolled release of active pharmaceuticals ingredients (APIs) within untreated wastewater discharged to waterbodies, associated with many rapidly urbanising centres is of growing concern owing to potential antimicrobial resistance, endocrine disruption and potential toxicity. A sampling campaign has been undertaken to assess the source, occurrence, magnitude and risk associated with APIs and other chemicals within the Nairobi/Athi river basin, in Kenya, East Africa. The catchment showed an extensive downstream impact zone estimated to extend 75 km, mostly, but not exclusively, derived from the direct discharge of untreated wastewater from the urban centre of Nairobi city. The exact extent of the downstream boundary of the Nairobi city impact zone was unclear owing to the inputs of untreated wastewater sources from the continuous urbanized areas along the river, which counteracted the natural attenuation caused by dilution and degradation. The most frequently detected APIs and chemicals were caffeine, carbamazepine, trimethoprim, nicotine, and sulfamethoxazole. Paracetamol, caffeine, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim alone contributed 86% of the total amount of APIs determined along the Nairobi/Athi catchment. In addition to direct discharge of untreated domestic wastewater attributed to the informal settlements within the conurbation, other sources were linked to the industrial area in Nairobi City where drug formulation is known to occur, the Dandora landfill and veterinary medicines from upstream agriculture. It was shown that there was a possible environmental risk of API ecotoxicological effects beyond the end of the traditional impact zone defined by elevated biochemical oxygen demand concentrations; with metronidazole and sulfamethoxazole exhibiting the highest risk

Caracterização de módulos fotovoltáicos orgânicos (P3HT:PCBM) com radiação solar

Los principales parámetros que influyen en la eficiencia de módulo solar orgánico de capa activa P3HT:PCBM, se analizan en este trabajo en condiciones reales de la radiación solar. Los experimentos se llevaron a cabo en la Universidad Federal de Pernambuco en Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil. Por medio del análisis de los resultados se puede observar el comportamiento de los parámetros eléctricos de un módulo orgánico en función de la irradiación y, por tanto, entender cómo funcionaría un sistema que utiliza la electricidad generada a partir de paneles orgánicos.The main parameters that influence the efficiency of organic solar module active layer P3HT:PCBM, are analyzed in this work in real conditions of solar radiation. The experiments were conducted at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Through analysis of the results, it is possible to observe the behavior of the electrical parameters of an organic module depending on the irradiance and thus, better understand how it would work in a system using electricity generated from organic panels.Tema 4: Energía solar, conversión fotovoltaica.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

Caracterização de módulos fotovoltáicos orgânicos (P3HT:PCBM) com radiação solar

Los principales parámetros que influyen en la eficiencia de módulo solar orgánico de capa activa P3HT:PCBM, se analizan en este trabajo en condiciones reales de la radiación solar. Los experimentos se llevaron a cabo en la Universidad Federal de Pernambuco en Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil. Por medio del análisis de los resultados se puede observar el comportamiento de los parámetros eléctricos de un módulo orgánico en función de la irradiación y, por tanto, entender cómo funcionaría un sistema que utiliza la electricidad generada a partir de paneles orgánicos.The main parameters that influence the efficiency of organic solar module active layer P3HT:PCBM, are analyzed in this work in real conditions of solar radiation. The experiments were conducted at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Through analysis of the results, it is possible to observe the behavior of the electrical parameters of an organic module depending on the irradiance and thus, better understand how it would work in a system using electricity generated from organic panels.Tema 4: Energía solar, conversión fotovoltaica.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

Tuna labels matter in Europe: Mislabelling rates in different tuna products

Tuna fisheries and processing represent economic activities of paramount importance around the world. Most of these products are traded for human consumption and in general are highly demanded commodities. However, not all tuna products achieve the same market price, some consumers are willing to pay a huge amount of money for certain species (i.e. Japanese market for Bluefin tuna) while other species are rather affordable (i.e. Skipjack tuna), therefore mislabelling has been observed frequently. We collected and analysed 545 tuna samples in six European countries, including fresh, frozen and canned products, and we have investigated whether or not these products were correctly labelled under European and national legislations. We found an overall mislabelling rate of 6.79%; in particular, 6.70% of the fresh and frozen tuna products and 7.84% of canned tuna were mislabelled, and only in the case of fresh and frozen tuna samples significant differences among countries were found. Mislabelling rates for Atlantic Bluefin tuna labelled products were very high, ranging from 50 up to 100%. In general, mislabelling was higher when specific names were included in the labels. The “tuna” umbrella term is a very popular one with consumers, but also one that remains vulnerable to ambiguity, hampering efforts towards market transparency and with potential negative consequences to the adequate management of tuna species stocks

An Efficient Vector System to Modify Cells Genetically

The transfer of foreign genes into mammalian cells has been essential for understanding the functions of genes and mechanisms of genetic diseases, for the production of coding proteins and for gene therapy applications. Currently, the identification and selection of cells that have received transferred genetic material can be accomplished by methods, including drug selection, reporter enzyme detection and GFP imaging. These methods may confer antibiotic resistance, or be disruptive, or require special equipment. In this study, we labeled genetically modified cells with a cell surface biotinylation tag by co-transfecting cells with BirA, a biotin ligase. The modified cells can be quickly isolated for downstream applications using a simple streptavidin bead method. This system can also be used to screen cells expressing two sets of genes from separate vectors