Preliminary user centred evaluation of regional aircraft cabin interiors in virtual reality

The main aim of the CASTLE (Cabin System Design Towards Passenger Wellbeing) European project is to deliver innovative interiors solutions that maximize the comfort and wellbeing of passengers in the next future. To achieve such objective, an effective HCD (Human Centred Design) approach has been employed to derive a Human Response Model based on a holistic assessment of comfort. The overall methodology has been conceived to provide different tools and methods to collect data on the impact that the design of each cabin item has on the user from the earliest design stages. One of these tools is represented by using 3D virtual mock-ups to capture data on the user\u2019s perception and to rate the level of appreciation inspired by the specific design. In this paper we present the experimental procedures and the results from a preliminary experimental campaign of Human in the loop simulations in Virtual/Augmented Reality of a Regional Aircraft

The spatial logic of fear

Peripersonal space (PPS) refers to the space surrounding the body. PPS is characterised by distinctive patterns of multisensory integration and sensory-motor interaction. In addition, facial expressions have been shown to modulate PPS representation. In this study we tested whether fearful faces lead to a different distribution of spatial attention, compared to neutral and joyful faces. Participants responded to tactile stimuli on the cheeks, while watching looming neutral, joyful (Experiment 1) or fearful (Experiment 2) faces of an avatar, appearing in far or near space. To probe spatial attention, when the tactile stimulus was delivered, a static ball briefly appeared central or peripheral in participant's vision, respectively ≈1° or ≈10° to the left or right of the face. With neutral and joyful faces, simple reactions to tactile stimuli were facilitated in near rather than in far space, replicating classic PPS effects, and in the presence of central rather than peripheral ball, suggesting that attention may be focused in the immediate surrounding of the face. However, when the face was fearful, response to tactile stimuli was modulated not only by the distance of the face from the participant, but also by the position of the ball. Specifically, in near space only, response to tactile stimuli was additionally facilitated by the peripheral compared to the central ball. These results suggest that as fearful faces come closer to the body, they promote a redirection of attention towards the periphery. Given the sensory-motor functions of PPS, this fear-evoked redirection of attention would enhance the defensive function of PPS specifically when it is most needed, i.e. when the source of threat is nearby, but its location has not yet been identified

Fearful faces modulate spatial processing in peripersonal space: An ERP study

Peripersonal space (PPS) represents the region of space surrounding the body. A pivotal function of PPS is to coordinate defensive responses to threat. We have previously shown that a centrally-presented, looming fearful face, signalling a potential threat in one's surroundings, modulates spatial processing by promoting a redirection of sensory resources away from the face towards the periphery, where the threat may be expected – but only when the face is presented in near, rather than far space. Here, we use electrophysiological measures to investigate the neural mechanism underlying this effect. Participants made simple responses to tactile stimuli delivered on the cheeks, while watching task-irrelevant neutral or fearful avatar faces, looming towards them either in near or far space. Simultaneously with the tactile stimulation, a ball with a checkerboard pattern (probe) appeared to the left or right of the avatar face. Crucially, this probe could either be close to the avatar face, and thus more central in the participant's vision, or further away from the avatar face, and thus more peripheral in the participant's vision. Electroencephalography was continuously recorded. Behavioural results confirmed that in near space only, and for fearful relative to neutral faces, tactile processing was facilitated by the peripheral compared to the central probe. This behavioural effect was accompanied by a reduction of the N1 mean amplitude elicited by the peripheral probe for fearful relative to neutral faces. Moreover, the faster the participants responded to tactile stimuli with the peripheral probe, relative to the central, the smaller was their N1. Together these results, suggest that fearful faces intruding into PPS may increase expectation of a visual event occurring in the periphery. This fear-induced effect would enhance the defensive function of PPS when it is most needed, i.e., when the source of threat is nearby, but its location remains unknown

Changes in brain rhythms and connectivity tracking fear acquisition and reversal

Fear conditioning is used to investigate the neural bases of threat and anxiety, and to understand their flexible modifications when the environment changes. This study aims to examine the temporal evolution of brain rhythms using electroencephalographic signals recorded in healthy volunteers during a protocol of Pavlovian fear conditioning and reversal. Power changes and Granger connectivity in theta, alpha, and gamma bands are investigated from neuroelectrical activity reconstructed on the cortex. Results show a significant increase in theta power in the left (contralateral to electrical shock) portion of the midcingulate cortex during fear acquisition, and a significant decrease in alpha power in a broad network over the left posterior-frontal and parietal cortex. These changes occur since the initial trials for theta power, but require more trials (3/4) to develop for alpha, and are also present during reversal, despite being less pronounced. In both bands, relevant changes in connectivity are mainly evident in the last block of reversal, just when power differences attenuate. No significant changes in the gamma band were detected. We conclude that the increased theta rhythm in the cingulate cortex subserves fear acquisition and is transmitted to other cortical regions via increased functional connectivity allowing a fast theta synchronization, whereas the decrease in alpha power can represent a partial activation of motor and somatosensory areas contralateral to the shock side in the presence of a dangerous stimulus. In addition, connectivity changes at the end of reversal may reflect long-term alterations in synapses necessary to reverse the previously acquired contingencies

School-Based Surveillance of Respiratory Pathogens on “High-Touch” Surfaces

In order to assess the presence of respiratory pathogens on “high-touch” surfaces and inform sanitation practices at schools, pre-selected surfaces in elementary schools in Seattle, WA, USA were sampled weekly and tested by RT-PCR for 25 viral respiratory pathogens (including SARS-CoV-2 retrospectively) and S. pneumoniae during 2019–2020 winter respiratory illness season. Viral pathogens (rhinovirus, adenovirus, influenza) known to cause respiratory illness were detected on commonly touched surfaces, especially wooden surfaces, and matched the patterns of circulating virus in the community

Multiplex, single-cell CRISPRa screening for cell type specific regulatory elements

CRISPR-based gene activation (CRISPRa) is a strategy for upregulating gene expression by targeting promoters or enhancers in a tissue/cell-type specific manner. Here, we describe an experimental framework that combines highly multiplexed perturbations with single-cell RNA sequencing (sc-RNA-seq) to identify cell-type-specific, CRISPRa-responsive cis-regulatory elements and the gene(s) they regulate. Random combinations of many gRNAs are introduced to each of many cells, which are then profiled and partitioned into test and control groups to test for effect(s) of CRISPRa perturbations of both enhancers and promoters on the expression of neighboring genes. Applying this method to a library of 493 gRNAs targeting candidate cis-regulatory elements in both K562 cells and iPSC-derived excitatory neurons, we identify gRNAs capable of specifically upregulating intended target genes and no other neighboring genes within 1 Mb, including gRNAs yielding upregulation of six autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) risk genes in neurons. A consistent pattern is that the responsiveness of individual enhancers to CRISPRa is restricted by cell type, implying a dependency on either chromatin landscape and/or additional trans-acting factors for successful gene activation. The approach outlined here may facilitate large-scale screens for gRNAs that activate genes in a cell type-specific manner

PLK1 Interacts and Phosphorylates Axin That Is Essential for Proper Centrosome Formation

10.1371/journal.pone.0049184PLoS ONE711

Enriching Peptide Libraries for Binding Affinity and Specificity Through Computationally Directed Library Design

Peptide reagents with high affinity or specificity for their target protein interaction partner are of utility for many important applications. Optimization of peptide binding by screening large libraries is a proven and powerful approach. Libraries designed to be enriched in peptide sequences that are predicted to have desired affinity or specificity characteristics are more likely to yield success than random mutagenesis. We present a library optimization method in which the choice of amino acids to encode at each peptide position can be guided by available experimental data or structure-based predictions. We discuss how to use analysis of predicted library performance to inform rounds of library design. Finally, we include protocols for more complex library design procedures that consider the chemical diversity of the amino acids at each peptide position and optimize a library score based on a user-specified input model.National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U.S.) (Award R01 GM110048