Aging is associated with positive responding to neutral information but reduced recovery from negative information

Studies on aging and emotion suggest an increase in reported positive affect, a processing bias of positive over negative information, as well as increasingly adaptive regulation in response to negative events with advancing age. These findings imply that older individuals evaluate information differently, resulting in lowered reactivity to, and/or faster recovery from, negative information, while maintaining more positive responding to positive information. We examined this hypothesis in an ongoing study on Midlife in the US (MIDUS II) where emotional reactivity and recovery were assessed in a large number of respondents (N = 159) from a wide age range (36–84 years). We recorded eye-blink startle magnitudes and corrugator activity during and after the presentation of positive, neutral and negative pictures. The most robust age effect was found in response to neutral stimuli, where increasing age is associated with a decreased corrugator and eyeblink startle response to neutral stimuli. These data suggest that an age-related positivity effect does not essentially alter the response to emotion-laden information, but is reflected in a more positive interpretation of affectively ambiguous information. Furthermore, older women showed reduced corrugator recovery from negative pictures relative to the younger women and men, suggesting that an age-related prioritization of well-being is not necessarily reflected in adaptive regulation of negative affect

Equal Protection and Aesthetic Zoning: A Possible Crack and a Preemptive Repair

In Village of Willowbrook v. Olech, the property owner alleged the Village intentionally demanded a 33-foot easement as a condition of connecting her property to the municipal water supply where the Village required only a 15-foot easement from other similarly situated property owners. The complaint further described the village\u27s demand as irrational and wholly arbitrary. According to the Seventh Circuit, the property owner could allege an equal protection violation by asserting the state\u27s action was motivated solely by a spiteful effort to \u27get\u27 him for reasons wholly unrelated to any legitimate state objective. On appeal, the Supreme Court agreed, holding that [t]hese allegations, quite apart from the Village\u27s subjective motivation, are sufficient to state a claim for relief under traditional equal protection analysis. Although it affirmed the Seventh Circuit\u27s decision, the Court explicitly [did] not reach the alternative theory of \u27subjective ill will\u27 relied on by [the lower] court. This article considers whether Olech infers that unreasoned zoning decisions violate the Equal Protection Clause, and explores the meaning of similarly situated. The authors further examine what type of evidence might be necessary to ensure that aesthetic regulations pass constitutional muster with respect to the Fourteenth Amendment\u27s Equal Protection Clause

EFFECTS OF THERAPEUTIC ULTRASOUND ON THE RETENTION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF THE GLYCOLIC EXTRACT OF ARNICA MONTANA: AN IN VITRO STUDY

O objetivo do presente  trabalho foi avaliar a retenção do extrato glicólico de A. montana usando biomembranas, além de determinar o efeito do ultrassom terapêutico sobre a capacidade antioxidante deste extrato. Amostras de biomembranas foram tratadas em célula de difusão vertical em presença de hidrogel contendo extrato de A. montana com e sem aplicação de ultrassom (3 MHz, 1 W/cm2). Biomembranas foram submetidas ao ultrassom e analisadas, em termos de retenção de extrato, nos tempos de 4 e 150 min., sendo que a quantidade retida foi de 93.5 and 69.03% , respectivamente, indicando que a aplicação de US terapêutico promove o aumento de permeação de ativos. Ainda, a técnica de voltametria cíclica foi utilizada para avaliar a capacidade antioxidante do extrato de A. montana, sendo utilizados eletrodos impressos de Co-ftalocianina, indicando que após a aplicação de ultrassom terapêutico a capacidade antioxidante dos extratos foi diminuída. Desta forma, a partir do estudo realizado verificou-se que após aplicação do US terapêutico em extratos de A. montana, houve aumento da permeação do composto e diminuição de sua atividade antioxidante. http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/2179460X12587The aim of the present study was to evaluate the retention of a glycolic extract of A. montana using a biomembrane model, and to determine the effect of therapeutic ultrasound on the antioxidant capacity of the extract. Biomembrane samples were treated in a vertical diffusion system with A. montana extract/hydrogel homogenate in the absence or presence of ultrasound (3 MHz; 1.0 W/cm2). Biomembranes that had been submitted to ultrasound for 4 and 150 min retained, respectively, 93.5 and 69.03% less of the bioactive extract than those treated with passive diffusion for similar periods, thus indicating that phonophoresis enhances permeation through the membrane. Cyclic voltammetry was employed in the determination of antioxidant activities by measurement of the amount of hydrogen peroxide neutralized by the extract. Electrochemical analysis showed that the peak current related to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide diminished when extract was present. However, treatment of the extract with ultrasound gave rise to a decrease in the antioxidant potential, as indicated by an observed increase of 27% in hydrogen peroxide concentration in comparison with untreated extract. It is concluded that, although ultrasound improves permeation of the glycolic extract of A. montana, the antioxidant activity of the preparation is diminished

Emotional facial activation induced by unconsciously perceived dynamic facial expressions

Do facial expressions of emotion influence us when not consciously perceived? Methods to investigate this question have typically relied on brief presentation of static images. In contrast, real facial expressions are dynamic and unfold over several seconds. Recent studies demonstrate that gaze contingent crowding (GCC) can block awareness of dynamic expressions while still inducing behavioural priming effects. The current experiment tested for the first time whether dynamic facial expressions presented using this method can induce unconscious facial activation. Videos of dynamic happy and angry expressions were presented outside participants' conscious awareness while EMG measurements captured activation of the zygomaticus major (active when smiling) and the corrugator supercilii (active when frowning). Forced-choice classification of expressions confirmed they were not consciously perceived, while EMG revealed significant differential activation of facial muscles consistent with the expressions presented. This successful demonstration opens new avenues for research examining the unconscious emotional influences of facial expressions

Efeitos do ultrassom pulsado de baixa intensidade na proliferação e mineralização de pré-osteoblastos in vitro

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been proposed as a high potential therapeutic technique for the treatment of metabolic bone diseases and fractures with delayed healing. However, recent investigations have shown controversial results, suggesting the need for more studies on the understanding of biological responses and the standardization of methods and parameters. For this reason, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of ultrasound on the proliferation and mineralization of osteoblasts using in vitro bioassays. Pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were used and treated with therapeutic pulsed ultrasound, 20%, frequency of 1MHz and 0,2W/cm2 of intensity. In the study of cellular proliferation, intracellular calcium, TGF-β1, magnesium and osteopontin and osteocalcin mRNA levels, NF-κB1 and p38α were evaluated. In addition, nifedipine and rapamycin were used to investigate the proliferation pathways. Initially, the results showed an increase in proliferation of MC3T3-E1 and a decrease in calcium and magnesium content in supernatant with LIPUS exposure. In addition, LIPUS increased calcium deposition, activated NF-κB1 and mTOR complex via p38α and promoted a decrease in TGF-β1 synthesis, which is an inhibitor of cell growth. On cell mineralization assays, we evaluated mineral nodules deposition and expression of osteocalcin mRNA, collagen concentrations on culture supernatant, phosphate, calcium, TGF- β1 and ALP on cell lysates. The results showed that US stimulates the mineralization of preosteoblasts 192h after treatment by stimulating osteocalcin mRNA expression, calcium and phosphate uptake amd consequent formation of HA. Later, in different experimental conditions, the results showed that LIPUS had the ability to stimulate pre-osteoblastic mineralization with decreased concentration of collagen, calcium and phosphate in the cell supernatant 192 hours after treatment. It also changed the alkaline phosphatase concentration, as well as the osteocalcin gene expression.O ultrassom pulsado de baixa intensidade surge como recurso terapêutico de alto potencial para o tratamento de doenças osteometabolicas e fraturas com atraso de consolidação óssea. Entretanto, investigações recentes demonstram resultados controversos, sugerindo a necessidade de mais estudos acerca do entendimento das respostas biológicas e na padronização dos parâmetros das modalidades de tratamento. Sendo assim, o presente estudo teve o objetivo de avaliar o efeito do ultrassom na proliferação e mineralização de pre-ósteoblastos a partir de bioensaios in vitro. Foram utilizados pré-osteoblastos da linhagem MC3T3-E1, sendo estas tratadas com ultrassom terapêutico no modo pulsado a 20%, com uma frequência de 1MHz e intensidade de 0,2 W/cm2. No estudo de proliferação celular, avaliamos cálcio intracelular, o TGF-β1, magnésio e os níveis de mRNA de osteopontina e osteocalcina, NF-κB1 e p38α. Além disso, utilizamos nifedipina e a rapamicina para investigar rotas de proliferação. Inicialmente, os resultados mostraram que o ultrassom aumenta proliferação de MC3T3-E1, diminuindo o teor de cálcio e magnésio no sobrenadante. Além disso, aumenta a concentração de cálcio intracelular, ativa NF-κB1 e o complexo mTOR via p38α e promove uma diminuição na síntese de TGF-β1, que é um inibidor do crescimento celular. Nos ensaios de mineralização celular avaliamos inicialmente a deposição nódulos de minerais na placa de cultura e a expressão gênica da osteocalcina por PCR convencional, e, posterirormente a concentração no sobrenadante celular de colágeno, fosfato, cálcio, TGF-β além de fosfatase alcalina no lizado de células. Os resultados mostraram que o ultrassom tem a capacidade de estimular a mineralização pré-osteoblastica em 192 horas após o tratamento a partir do aumento da expressão osteocalcina, captação de cálcio e fosfato e consequente formação de hidroxiapatita

Mixed emotions to near-miss outcomes: a psychophysiological study with facial electromyography

Near-misses occur across many forms of gambling and are rated as unpleasant while simultaneously increasing the motivation to continue playing. On slot machines, the icon position relative to the payline moderates the effects of near-misses, with near-misses before the payline increasing motivation, and near-misses after the payline being rated as aversive. Near-misses are also known to increase physiological arousal compared to full-misses, but physiological measures to date have not been able to dissociate positive and negative emotional responses. The present study measured facial electromyography at the corrugator (brow) and zygomaticus (cheek) sites, as well as electrodermal activity (EDA), following gambling outcomes on a two-reel slot machine simulation in 77 novice gamblers. Behavioral data was collected using trial-by-trial ratings of motivation and valence. Wins were rated as more pleasant and increased motivation to continue playing, compared to non-win outcomes. Wins were also accompanied by increased EDA and zygomaticus activity. Near-misses after the payline were rated as more aversive than other non-wins, and this was accompanied by increased EDA and zygomaticus activity. Near-misses before the payline increased motivation to continue playing, and were accompanied by increased EDA. Thus, both subjective and physiological responses to near-misses differ for events falling either side of the payline. The ‘near-miss effect’ is not a unitary phenomenon. Facial EMG has differential sensitivity to positive and negative valence and may be a useful measure for future studies of gambling behavior

ATENDIMENTO FISIOTERAPÊUTICO A PACIENTES NEUROLÓGICOS

CENTRO UNIVERSITÁRIO UNIVATE

Amygdala-prefrontal coupling underlies individual differences in emotion regulation

Despite growing evidence on the neural bases of emotion regulation, little is known about the mechanisms underlying individual differences in cognitive regulation of negative emotion, and few studies have used objective measures to quantify regulatory success. Using a trait-like psychophysiological measure of emotion regulation, corrugator electromyography, we obtained an objective index of the ability to cognitively reappraise negative emotion in 56 healthy men (session 1), who returned 1.3 years later to perform the same regulation task using fMRI (session 2). Results indicated that the corrugator measure of regulatory skill predicted amygdala-prefrontal functional connectivity. Individuals with greater ability to down-regulate negative emotion as indexed by corrugator at session 1 showed not only greater amygdala attenuation but also greater inverse connectivity between the amygdala and several sectors of the prefrontal cortex while down-regulating negative emotion at session 2. Our results demonstrate that individual differences in emotion regulation are stable over time and underscore the important role of amygdala-prefrontal coupling for successful regulation of negative emotion

REVISÃO BIBLIOGRÁFICA DOS PRINCIPAIS RECURSOS TERAPÊUTICOS UTILIZADOS NO TRATAMENTO DA ALOPÉCIA ANDROGENÉTICA

Introdução: A Alopécia Androgenética (AA) é uma patologia de causa desconhecida, alguns autores sugerem ter caráter hereditário, padrão de rarefação capilar não cicatricial que atinge tanto homens quanto mulheres. A AA não causa comprometimento físico, mas possui importante impacto psicológico e diminuição da qualidade de vida do paciente. Objetivo: Realizar revisão sistemática da literatura para identificar os tratamentos disponíveis, a serem realizados pelos profissionais de estética, para o tratamento da AA. Método: Estudo de caráter explanatório e bibliográfico onde os artigos científicos foram buscados principalmente na base de dados do Google Acadêmico,pubmed, scielo, bireme, bem como livros na área de dermatologia, eletroterapia e dermatofuncional. A busca de artigos se deu no período de junho a outubro de 2017, se utilizou palavras chaves tanto na língua portuguesa quanto na língua inglesa: Alopécia Androgenética (Androgenetic Alopecia), Microagulhamento (Microneedling), Laser baixa potência (low-level light terapy), Mesoterapia (Mesotherapy), dando preferência a artigos mais recentes, período de 2004 a 2017, tanto na língua portuguesa quanto na língua inglesa. Resultados: Para realização deste estudo foram utilizados 2 artigos sobre Laser baixa potência, 3 referências sobre miroagulhamento, 5 sobre alopecia e seus tratamentos de um modo geral e 2 sobre mesoterapia. Conclusões: Considerando os muitos mecanismos patogenéticos envolvidos na AA, existem vários tratamentos disponíveis: microagulhamento, laser de baixa potência e mesoterapia, todos eles apresentando evidencias de eficácia no tratamento da AA, porém o que mais se evidenciou resultados foi com o microagulhamento

The development of spontaneous facial responses to others’ emotions in infancy. An EMG study

Viewing facial expressions often evokes facial responses in the observer. These spontaneous facial reactions (SFRs) are believed to play an important role for social interactions. However, their developmental trajectory and the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms are still little understood. In the current study, 4- and 7-month old infants were presented with facial expressions of happiness, anger, and fear. Electromyography (EMG) was used to measure activation in muscles relevant for forming these expressions: zygomaticus major (smiling), corrugator supercilii (frowning), and frontalis (forehead raising). The results indicated no selective activation of the facial muscles for the expressions in 4-month-old infants. For 7-month-old infants, evidence for selective facial reactions was found especially for happy faces (leading to increased zygomaticus major activation) and fearful faces (leading to increased frontalis activation), while angry faces did not show a clear differential response. This suggests that emotional SFRs may be the result of complex neurocognitive mechanisms which lead to partial mimicry but are also likely to be influenced by evaluative processes. Such mechanisms seem to undergo important developments at least until the second half of the first year of life