The effects of emotional states and traits on time perception

Background: Models of time perception share an element of scalar expectancy theory known as the internal clock, containing specific mechanisms by which the brain is able to experience time passing and function effectively. A debate exists about whether to treat factors that influence these internal clock mechanisms (e.g., emotion, personal- ity, executive functions, and related neurophysiological components) as arousal- or attentional-based factors. Purpose: This study investigated behavioral and neurophysiological responses to an affective time perception Go/ NoGo task, taking into account the behavioral inhibition (BIS) and behavioral activation systems (BASs), which are components of reinforcement sensitivity theory. Methods: After completion of self-report inventories assessing personality traits, electroencephalogram (EEG/ERP) and behavioral recordings of 32 women and 13 men recruited from introductory psychology classes were completed during an affective time perception Go/NoGo task. This task required participants to respond (Go) and inhibit (NoGo) to positive and negative affective visual stimuli of various durations in comparison to a standard duration. Results: Higher BAS scores (especially BAS Drive) were associated with overestimation bias scores for positive stimuli, while BIS scores were not correlated with overestimation bias scores. Furthermore, higher BIS Total scores were associ- ated with higher N2d amplitudes during positive stimulus presentation for 280 ms, while higher BAS Total scores were associated with higher N2d amplitudes during negative stimuli presentation for 910 ms. Discussion: Findings are discussed in terms of arousal-based models of time perception, and suggestions for future research are considered

Identification of Antifungal Compounds Active against Candida albicans Using an Improved High-Throughput Caenorhabditis elegans Assay

Candida albicans, the most common human pathogenic fungus, can establish a persistent lethal infection in the intestine of the microscopic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The C. elegans–C. albicans infection model was previously adapted to screen for antifungal compounds. Modifications to this screen have been made to facilitate a high-throughput assay including co-inoculation of nematodes with C. albicans and instrumentation allowing precise dispensing of worms into assay wells, eliminating two labor-intensive steps. This high-throughput method was utilized to screen a library of 3,228 compounds represented by 1,948 bioactive compounds and 1,280 small molecules derived via diversity-oriented synthesis. Nineteen compounds were identified that conferred an increase in C. elegans survival, including most known antifungal compounds within the chemical library. In addition to seven clinically used antifungal compounds, twelve compounds were identified which are not primarily used as antifungal agents, including three immunosuppressive drugs. This assay also allowed the assessment of the relative minimal inhibitory concentration, the effective concentration in vivo, and the toxicity of the compound in a single assay

Effect of abciximab on the pattern of reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with primary angioplasty

Timely reperfusion therapy in acute myocardial infarction limits infarct size and improves survival.(1) Compared with fibrinolytic therapy, primary angioplasty achieves Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade 3 flow in a higher proportion of patients and is associated with improved early outcome.(2) Despite superior ability to relieve epicardial artery stenosis, mechanical revascularization is frequently associated with embolization of plaque and platelet thrombus to the distal capillary bed, which may result in a no-reflow phenomenon similar to that observed with fibrinolysis.(3) Because platelet IIb/IIIa receptor blockade with abciximab has been shown to reduce the incidence of acute ischemic events after coronary angioplasty, the combination of primary angioplasty and platelet integrin inhibition has been tested in the ReoPro And Primary PTCA Organization and Randomized Trial (RAPPORT).(4) In patients undergoing angioplasty and receiving abciximab, the 7-day incidence of reinfarction and urgent reintervention was reduced by 76% (p = 0.06) and 79% (p = 0.008), respectively, when compared with placebo. It is not known whether abciximab affected infarct size or the speed of reperfusion WP investigated whether the platelet inhibition afforded by abciximab altered the pattern of reperfusion in patients undergoing primary angioplasty with respect to peak creatine kinase (CK) release, infarct size expressed as area-under-the-curve (AUC), and time-to-peak CK