Culture shapes how we look at faces

Background: Face processing, amongst many basic visual skills, is thought to be invariant across all humans. From as early as 1965, studies of eye movements have consistently revealed a systematic triangular sequence of fixations over the eyes and the mouth, suggesting that faces elicit a universal, biologically-determined information extraction pattern. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we monitored the eye movements of Western Caucasian and East Asian observers while they learned, recognized, and categorized by race Western Caucasian and East Asian faces. Western Caucasian observers reproduced a scattered triangular pattern of fixations for faces of both races and across tasks. Contrary to intuition, East Asian observers focused more on the central region of the face. Conclusions/Significance: These results demonstrate that face processing can no longer be considered as arising from a universal series of perceptual events. The strategy employed to extract visual information from faces differs across cultures

The effect of changes in perilymphatic K+ on the vestibular evoked potential in the guinea pig

To investigate the effect on the functioning of the vestibular system of a rupture of Reissner’s membrane, artificial endolymph was injected in scala media of ten guinea pigs and vestibular evoked potentials (VsEPs), evoked by vertical acceleration pulses, were measured. Directly after injection of a sufficient volume to cause rupture, all ears showed a complete disappearance of VsEP, followed by partial recovery. To investigate the effect of perilymphatic potassium concentration on the vestibular sensory and neural structures, different concentrations of KCl were injected directly into the vestibule. The KCl injections resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of VsEP, followed by a dose-dependent slow recovery. This animal model clearly shows a disturbing effect of a higher than normal K+ concentration in perilymph on the vestibular and neural structures in the inner ear. Potassium intoxication is the most probable explanation for the observed effects. It is one of the explanations for Menière attacks

Multiple myeloma risk variant at 7p15.3 creates an IRF4-binding site and interferes with CDCA7L expression.

Genome-wide association studies have identified several risk loci for multiple myeloma (MM); however, the mechanisms by which they influence MM are unknown. Here by using genetic association data and functional characterization, we demonstrate that rs4487645 G>T, the most highly associated variant (P = 5.30 × 10-25), resides in an enhancer element 47 kb upstream of the transcription start site of c-Myc-interacting CDCA7L. The G-risk allele, associated with increased CDCA7L expression (P=1.95 × 10-36), increases IRF4 binding and the enhancer interacts with the CDCA7L promoter. We show that suppression of CDCA7L limits MM proliferation through apoptosis, and increased CDCA7L expression is associated with adverse patient survival. These findings implicate IRF4-mediated CDCA7L expression in MM biology and indicate how germline variation might confer susceptibility to MM

Prolonged Visual Experience in Adulthood Modulates Holistic Face Perception

Background: Using the well-known composite illusion as a marker of the holistic perception of faces, we tested how prolonged visual experience with a specific population of faces (4- to 6-year-old children) modulates the face perception system in adulthood. Methodology/Principal Findings: We report a face composite effect that is larger for adult than children faces in a group of adults without experience with children faces (‘‘children-face novices’’), while it is of equal magnitude for adults and children faces in a population of preschool teachers (‘‘children-face experts’’). When considering preschool teachers only, we observed a significant correlation between the number of years of experience with children faces and the differential face composite effect between children and adults faces. Participants with at least 10 years of qualitative experience with children faces had a larger composite face effect for children than adult faces. Conclusions/Significance: Overall, these observations indicate that even in adulthood face processes can be reshaped qualitatively, presumably to facilitate efficient processing of the differential morphological features of the frequently encountered population of faces

Domain Organization of Long Signal Peptides of Single-Pass Integral Membrane Proteins Reveals Multiple Functional Capacity

Targeting signals direct proteins to their extra - or intracellular destination such as the plasma membrane or cellular organelles. Here we investigated the structure and function of exceptionally long signal peptides encompassing at least 40 amino acid residues. We discovered a two-domain organization (“NtraC model”) in many long signals from vertebrate precursor proteins. Accordingly, long signal peptides may contain an N-terminal domain (N-domain) and a C-terminal domain (C-domain) with different signal or targeting capabilities, separable by a presumably turn-rich transition area (tra). Individual domain functions were probed by cellular targeting experiments with fusion proteins containing parts of the long signal peptide of human membrane protein shrew-1 and secreted alkaline phosphatase as a reporter protein. As predicted, the N-domain of the fusion protein alone was shown to act as a mitochondrial targeting signal, whereas the C-domain alone functions as an export signal. Selective disruption of the transition area in the signal peptide impairs the export efficiency of the reporter protein. Altogether, the results of cellular targeting studies provide a proof-of-principle for our NtraC model and highlight the particular functional importance of the predicted transition area, which critically affects the rate of protein export. In conclusion, the NtraC approach enables the systematic detection and prediction of cryptic targeting signals present in one coherent sequence, and provides a structurally motivated basis for decoding the functional complexity of long protein targeting signals

Strong interface-induced spin-orbit coupling in graphene on WS2

Interfacial interactions allow the electronic properties of graphene to be modified, as recently demonstrated by the appearance of satellite Dirac cones in the band structure of graphene on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) substrates. Ongoing research strives to explore interfacial interactions in a broader class of materials in order to engineer targeted electronic properties. Here we show that at an interface with a tungsten disulfide (WS2) substrate, the strength of the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) in graphene is very strongly enhanced. The induced SOI leads to a pronounced low-temperature weak anti-localization (WAL) effect, from which we determine the spin-relaxation time. We find that spin-relaxation time in graphene is two-to-three orders of magnitude smaller on WS2 than on SiO2 or hBN, and that it is comparable to the intervalley scattering time. To interpret our findings we have performed first-principle electronic structure calculations, which both confirm that carriers in graphene-on-WS2 experience a strong SOI and allow us to extract a spin-dependent low-energy effective Hamiltonian. Our analysis further shows that the use of WS2 substrates opens a possible new route to access topological states of matter in graphene-based systems.Comment: Originally submitted version in compliance with editorial guidelines. Final version with expanded discussion of the relation between theory and experiments to be published in Nature Communication

Perceptual Other-Race Training Reduces Implicit Racial Bias

Background: Implicit racial bias denotes socio-cognitive attitudes towards other-race groups that are exempt from conscious awareness. In parallel, other-race faces are more difficult to differentiate relative to own-race faces – the ‘‘Other-Race Effect.’ ’ To examine the relationship between these two biases, we trained Caucasian subjects to better individuate other-race faces and measured implicit racial bias for those faces both before and after training. Methodology/Principal Findings: Two groups of Caucasian subjects were exposed equally to the same African American faces in a training protocol run over 5 sessions. In the individuation condition, subjects learned to discriminate between African American faces. In the categorization condition, subjects learned to categorize faces as African American or not. For both conditions, both pre- and post-training we measured the Other-Race Effect using old-new recognition and implicit racial biases using a novel implicit social measure – the ‘‘Affective Lexical Priming Score’ ’ (ALPS). Subjects in the individuation condition, but not in the categorization condition, showed improved discrimination of African American faces with training. Concomitantly, subjects in the individuation condition, but not the categorization condition, showed a reduction in their ALPS. Critically, for the individuation condition only, the degree to which an individual subject’s ALPS decreased was significantly correlated with the degree of improvement that subject showed in their ability to differentiate African American faces

What Was I Thinking? Eye-Tracking Experiments Underscore the Bias that Architecture Exerts on Nuclear Grading in Prostate Cancer

We previously reported that nuclear grade assignment of prostate carcinomas is subject to a cognitive bias induced by the tumor architecture. Here, we asked whether this bias is mediated by the non-conscious selection of nuclei that “match the expectation” induced by the inadvertent glance at the tumor architecture. 20 pathologists were asked to grade nuclei in high power fields of 20 prostate carcinomas displayed on a computer screen. Unknown to the pathologists, each carcinoma was shown twice, once before a background of a low grade, tubule-rich carcinoma and once before the background of a high grade, solid carcinoma. Eye tracking allowed to identify which nuclei the pathologists fixated during the 8 second projection period. For all 20 pathologists, nuclear grade assignment was significantly biased by tumor architecture. Pathologists tended to fixate on bigger, darker, and more irregular nuclei when those were projected before kigh grade, solid carcinomas than before low grade, tubule-rich carcinomas (and vice versa). However, the morphometric differences of the selected nuclei accounted for only 11% of the architecture-induced bias, suggesting that it can only to a small part be explained by the unconscious fixation on nuclei that “match the expectation”. In conclusion, selection of « matching nuclei » represents an unconscious effort to vindicate the gravitation of nuclear grades towards the tumor architecture

Colorectal Cancer Video for the Deaf Community: A Randomized Control Trial

The Deaf community experiences multiple barriers to accessing cancer information. Deaf participants (n = 144) were randomly assigned to view a colorectal cancer education video or another program in American Sign Language. They completed surveys pre- and post-intervention and at 2 months post-intervention. By using a crossover model, control group participants were offered the option of seeing the intervention video. The experimental group gained and retained significantly more colorectal cancer knowledge than the control group, and the control group demonstrated the greatest knowledge gain after crossing into the experimental arm. This video effectively informed the Deaf community about colorectal cancer

Heart and systemic effects of statin pretreatment in a rat model of abdominal sepsis. Assessment by Tc99m-sestamibi biodistribition

PURPOSE: To evaluate the heart and the Tc-99m-sestamibi biodistribution after statin pretreatment in a rat model of abdominal sepsis. METHODS: Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly distributed into four groups (n=6 per group): 1) sepsis with simvastatin treatment, 2) sepsis with vehicle, 3) sham control with simvastatin and 4) sham control with vehicle. 24 hours after cecal ligation and puncture rats received 1.0MBq of Tc-99m-sestamibi i.v. 30min after, animals were euthanized for ex-vivo tissue counting and myocardium histological analysis. RESULTS: Myocardial histologic alterations were not detected 24 hours post-sepsis. There was significantly increased cardiac Tc-99m-sestamibi activity in the sepsis group with simvastatin treatment (1.9$\pm$0.3%ID/g, p<0.001) in comparison to the sepsis group+vehicle (1.0$\pm$0.2% ID/g), control sham group+ simvastatin (1.2$\pm$0.3% ID/g) and control sham group (1.3$\pm$0.2% ID/g). Significant Tc-99m-sestamibi activity in liver, kidney and lungs was also detected in the sepsis group treated with simvastatinin comparison to the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Statin treatment altered the biodistribution of Tc-99m-sestamibi with increased cardiac and solid organ activity in rats with abdominal sepsis, while no impact on controls. Increased myocardial tracer activity may be a result of a possible protection effect due to increased tissue perfusion mediated by statins