To Live is to Die: The Effect of Mortality Salience on Memory and Fear of Death

Terror Management Theory proposes that the threat of death produces existential terror, which accentuates the need for security. This effect of mortality salience awareness of death-is well documented for non-conscious thoughts of death (Martens, Burke, Schimel, & Faucher, 2011). The objective of this study, then, is to measure anxiety-or fear of death-in reaction to non-conscious as well as conscious thoughts of death by manipulating the valence (positive vs. negative) and content (death vs. non-death) of a story that participants read. I measured any changes reported in fear of death before and after reading the story. Participants also wrote about their first realization of death after making their second fear-of-death rating. Next, they completed the fear-of-death questionnaire a third time. Lastly, participants completed a recognition test after the third questionnaire, measuring their memory for the story read earlier in the study. This assessed whether mortality salience had an effect on memory (Greenberg, Martens, Jonas, Eisenstadt, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 2003). Seventy-one undergraduate students participated in the study. There was not a significant effect of mortality salience on memory; however, results showed a significant decrease in fear of death after participants wrote about their first realization of death as well as a marginally significant effect of content such that participants in the non-death conditions had higher fear of death ratings than participants in the death conditions. Mortality salience, in the form of an explicit. personal reflection on death, significantly decreased fear of death. This suggests that mere awareness of death may not incite anxiety; instead, mere exposure to and reflection on death reduces fear, or anxiety. These results are inconsistent with Terror Management Theory, and their implications are explored

Body center of mass trajectory and mechanical energy using inertial sensors: a feasible stride?

Background: The description of the three-dimensional (3D) trajectory of the body center of mass (BCoM) provides useful insights on the mechanics of locomotion. The BCoM trajectory can be estimated from ground reaction forces, recorded by force platforms (GRF, gold standard), or from marker trajectories recorded by stereophotogrammetric systems (MKR). However, both instruments do not allow for monitoring locomotion in the real-life environment. In this perspective, magneto-inertial measurement units (MIMUs) are particularly attractive being wearable, thus enabling to collect movement data out of the laboratory. Research questions: To investigate the feasibility and accuracy of a recent marketed full-body MIMU-based method for the estimation of the 3D BCoM trajectory and energetics during walking. Methods: Twelve subjects walked at self-selected and slow speed along a 12 m long walkway. GRF and MKR were acquired using three force platforms and a stereophotogrammetric system. MIMU data were collected using a full-body MIMU-based motion capture system (Xsens MTw Awinda). The 3D BCoM trajectory, external mechanical work and energy recovery were extracted from the data acquired by the three measurement systems, using state-of-the-art methods. The accuracy of both MKR- and MIMU-based estimates compared with GRF was assessed for the BCoM trajectory (maximum, minimum, range, and RMSD), as well as for mechanical work and energy recovery. Results: A total number of 108 strides were analyzed. MIMU-based BCoM trajectory displayed larger errors in comparison with GRF (and MKR) for the trajectory ranges: 89 ± 47(93 ± 44)% in antero-posterior, 46 ± 25(40 ± 79)% medio-lateral and -13 ± 23(-5 ± 25)% vertical directions, leading to a 3D RMSD of 17 ± 5(12 ± 5) mm (mean ± SD). These discrepancies largely affected the estimation of both mechanical work and energy recovery (+115 ± 85% and -28 ± 21%, respectively). Significance: Preliminary findings highlighted that the tested MIMU-based method for BCoM trajectory estimation still lacks accuracy and that the quantification of energetics in real-life situations remains an open challenge

Pomacea canaliculata ampullar proteome: A nematode-based bio-pesticide induces changes in metabolic and stress-related pathways

Pomacea canaliculata is a freshwater gastropod known for being both a highly invasive species and one of the possible intermediate hosts of the mammalian parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis. With the aim of providing new information concerning P. canaliculata biology and adaptability, the first proteome of the ampulla, i.e., a small organ associated with the circulatory system and known as a reservoir of nitrogen-containing compounds, was obtained. The ampullar proteome was derived from ampullae of control snails or after exposure to a nematode-based molluscicide, known for killing snails in a dose-and temperature-dependent fashion. Proteome analysis revealed that the composition of connective ampulla walls, cell metabolism and oxidative stress response were affected by the biopesticide. Ultrastructural investigations have highlighted the presence of rhogocytes within the ampullar walls, as it has been reported for other organs containing nitrogen storage tissue. Collected data suggested that the ampulla may belong to a network of organs involved in controlling and facing oxidative stress in different situations. The response against the nematode-based molluscicide recalled the response set up during early arousal after aestivation and hibernation, thus encouraging the hypothesis that metabolic pathways and antioxidant defences promoting amphibiousness could also prove useful in facing other challenges stimulating an oxidative stress response, e.g., immune challenges or biocide exposure. Targeting the oxidative stress resistance of P. canaliculata may prove helpful for increasing its susceptibility to bio-pesticides and may help the sustainable control of this pest’s diffusion

ROUNDHOUSE KICK WITH AND WITHOUT IMPACT IN KARATEKA OF DIFFERENT TECHNICAL LEVEL

The purpose of this study was to compare two different Karate roundhouse kicks performed by athletes of different technical level. The combination of high movement velocities and a high technical difficulty, qualify these actions as a good model to quantify the ability of a Karateka to execute complex movements. The first kick, directed to the face, entails a strong braking action to avoid the impact (NI), the other, directed to the chest, is concluded by an impact (IM). Technical aspects and the role of muscular co-activation as joint protector were investigated in six top level Karateka (KA) and six practicing karate amateurs (CO), by estimating joint kinematics and neuromuscular activity patterns. KA presented a faster execution for both tasks, prevalently due to a faster knee extension, supported by a low co-activation of the antagonist Biceps Femoris. This behaviour confirms that elite KA tend to lower the co-activation of antagonist muscles during fast movements, partially in contrast with the antagonists possible role in maintaining knee stability. The NI task, requiring higher technical competence and entailing a high target, is performed by KA athletes using a peculiar technique, based on a wide hip flexion-extension range, with a peak hip ab-adduction occurring earlier than in CO. A lower co-activation presented by CO during knee flexion is presumably due to their difficulty in mastering this complex kick

Cold atom confinement in an all-optical dark ring trap

We demonstrate confinement of $^{85}$Rb atoms in a dark, toroidal optical trap. We use a spatial light modulator to convert a single blue-detuned Gaussian laser beam to a superposition of Laguerre-Gaussian modes that forms a ring-shaped intensity null bounded harmonically in all directions. We measure a 1/e spin-relaxation lifetime of ~1.5 seconds for a trap detuning of 4.0 nm. For smaller detunings, a time-dependent relaxation rate is observed. We use these relaxation rate measurements and imaging diagnostics to optimize trap alignment in a programmable manner with the modulator. The results are compared with numerical simulations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Chemotherapy-related damage to ovarian reserve in childhood cancer survivors : interpreting the evidence

Chemotherapy during childhood damages ovarian reserve and can affect future fertility. However, recent large epidemiological studies showed that the detrimental impact on fertility is less severe if women seek for pregnancy at a younger age. To explain this observation, we hypothesize that the detrimental effects of previous chemotherapy on the ovarian reserve may be attenuated in young adults for two main reasons. Firstly, recent evidence showed that the amount of ovarian reserve is not a critical factor for effective natural conceptions. Provided that the residual ovarian reserve allows regular ovulatory cycles, the chances of pregnancy are similar in women with intact or reduced ovarian reserve. Secondly, ovarian reserve depletion appears to be a phenomenon that is inversely related to the residual ovarian reserve rather than to age. From a mathematical perspective, this kind of regulation intrinsically attenuates the effects of an early loss of a significant amount of primordial follicles. In conclusion, the detrimental effects of chemotherapy on natural fertility may be less severe if women with a history of chemotherapy during childhood seek for pregnancy early. This information should be part of the counseling

Plasma protein's glycation is decreased in Sprague Dawley rats under caloric restriction.

Different dietary regimens were applied to three cohorts of rats. The first was fed ad libitum every day (AL), the second was fed ad libitum every other day (EOD) and the third was fed a diet equivalent to 60% of the caloric intake (60% CI) of the AL cohort. Levels of stable early glycation products in plasma proteins were then measured according to two different methods, Glycation of plasma proteins progressively increased in AL animals belonging to the 2-12 month age interval, while it showed a less pronounced age-dependent increase in EOD and 60% CI animals. The lowest degree of glycation was detected 2-3 months after the beginning of caloric restriction, After 12 months of age a lower level of glycation was detected in 60% CI rats than in EOD animals, Body weight was lower in restricted animals than in AL animals and was lowest in 60% CI rats. During the life span, glycemia was lower in fasting 60% CI than in EOD or AL rats

Evaluation of the severity of chronic hepatitis C with 3-T 1H-MR spectroscopy

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare the spectral characteristics of lipids, choline-containing compounds, and glutamine-glutamate complex assessed with H-1-MR spectroscopy with the histologic findings in patients with chronic hepatitis C. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Nine healthy controls and 30 patients with biopsy-proven hepatitis C virus-related liver disease participated in this prospective study. Degree of fibrosis and histologic activity were scored according to the METAVIR classification. The percentage of involved hepatocytes was used to grade steatosis. Hepatic spectra were obtained with a 3-T spectroscopic system. Tenfold cross-validated stepwise discriminant analysis was performed to classify disease severity on the basis of the spectroscopic findings. RESULTS. There was a strong correlation between H-1-MR spectroscopically measured lipid concentration and the degree of steatosis at histologic examination (r=0.9236, p < 0.0001). This finding enabled clear separation of groups according to degree of histologically determined steatosis. Variation in lipid concentration was consistent with the degree of steatosis (r=0.7265, p < 0.0001) and stage of fibrosis (r=0.8156, p < 0.0001). In univariate analysis, concentrations of both choline-containing compounds and glutamine-glutamate complex had a direct correlation with histologic grade ( p < 0.0001) and degree of steatosis ( p < 0.0001) but not with stage of fibrosis ( p > 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the only factor independently associated with concentrations of choline-containing compounds and glutamine-glutamate complex was histologic grade. In cross-validated discriminant analysis based on choline-containing compound, glutamine-glutamate complex, and lipid resonance, 70% ( 21 of 30) of the histologic grade groups and 73% (22 of 30) of the steatosis groups were correctly classified. CONCLUSION. Hydrogen-1 MR spectroscopy can be an alternative to liver biopsy in the evaluation of steatosis and necroinflammatory activity in liver disease but is not useful for complete evaluation of hepatic fibrosis