Capturing the Attention of Caregivers: Variability in Infant Vocalizations

The effect of variability in infant vocalizations on potential caregivers’ heart rate variability (HRV), facial expressions, and subjective ratings on emotional reactions and desire to approach the baby was examined in an evolutionary context. Recordings of non-canonical, canonical, fussing, and crying vocalizations were utilized to elicit physiological and self-reported reactions from sixty participants. Breastfeeding mothers, non-mothers at high estradiol point in menstrual cycle, non-mothers at low estradiol point in menstrual cycle, fathers, and non-fathers were included in the study. Participants wore Polar RS800 heart rate monitors, were video recorded for facial expression analysis, and filled out 11 point self-rating forms on emotional reactions to the infant vocal stimuli. It was expected that participants would show higher HRV for the canonical vocalizations as compared to non-canonical, fussing and crying vocal stimuli. Overall HRV as measured by SDNN (standard deviation of NN, or “normal-to-normal” interbeat intervals), was highest for the recorded babbling, however these differences were not significant. Most raters considered crying and fussing to be strong indicators of a need for interaction. Participants showed the greatest percentage of happy facial expressions (evaluated via analysis of video recordings) and also self-reported the babbling vocalizations high on “happiness” and “most liked”, as predicted. Although the predicted directions for the differences between mothers and non-mothers at two different assumed estradiol levels in menstrual cycle were not significant, breastfeeding mothers did show higher facial expressions of happiness while listening to the babbling stimuli, gave higher scores of self-rated sadness when listening to crying, and rated their irritation levels lower and the desire to pick up the baby higher for the fussing stimuli. The square root of the mean squared difference of successive NN intervals were significantly higher in fathers than non-fathers while listening to the babbling stimuli. Fathers had significantly higher self-reported happiness levels and higher scores towards the “most liked” end of the rating scale for the babbling stimuli. The results are discussed within an evolutionary framework considering the potential influence of parental selection of vocal behaviors, an attraction to complexity of sounds across species, as well as the possible influence of hormones on potential caregivers’ responses to infant needs

Critical incidents in intercultural education lessons

Cet article repose sur les résultats d’une recherche portant sur les pratiques réelles d’enseignement de l’éducation interculturelle. À partir des considérations mises en évidence dans la littérature autour des risques de "culturalisation" de ces pratiques, cette contribution vise à comprendre la façon dont les difficultés se développent dans les interactions en classe. Sur la base de séquences pédagogiques, nous repérons des incidents critiques qui permettent d’identifier les tensions entre, d’une part, les intentions pédagogiques des enseignant·e·s qui cherchent à construire des connaissances et déconstruire des phénomènes comme la discrimination sociale ou les stéréotypes, et, d’autre part, le processus interactif de construction de sens qui a parfois pour résultat leur réification. (DIPF/Orig.)This article is based on the results of research on real teaching practices in intercultural education. Building on the considerations highlighted in the literature about the risks of “culturalization” of these practices, this contribution aims to understand how difficulties develop in classroom interactions. On the basis of pedagogical sequences collected in class during intercultural lessons, we identify critical incidents that allow us to identify the tensions between, on the one hand, the pedagogical intentions of the teachers, who seek to build knowledge and to deconstruct phenomena such as social discrimination or stereotypes, and, on the other hand, the interactive process of constructing meaning which sometimes results in their reification. (DIPF/Orig.

Pride of Ownership: An Identity-Based Model

Pride of ownership is explored in a series of depth interviews utilizing a new "surfacing" methodology. Results support some past findings, but also uncover some new and unexpected aspects. Consistent with past research, pride of ownership is linked to a brand’s or product’s ability to help consumers construct a positive identity. Specifically, we find that pride of ownership is related to constructing five major aspects of identity: cultivating personal taste, achieving non-dependence and adulthood, achieving social status, building close relationships, and connecting to groups. These five implicit identity goals are ordered based on the extent to which each aspect of identity is part of the independent-self (i.e. personal taste) or the interdependent-self (i.e. social roles and connecting to groups). We introduce the terms independent pride and interdependent pride to refer to pride that helps construct the independent and interdependent aspects of the self, respectively. In addition, this research uncovers several ways that consumer’s pride of ownership changes over time. Conclusions are drawn for further theory-building and for managers

An argument for physician-assisted suicide and against euthanasia

The article opens with the hypothesis that the default position that should guide healthcare providers when treating patients at the end-of-life is that patients opt for life. In the absence of an explicit request to die, we may assume that patients wish to continue living. Thus, the role of the medical profession is to provide patients with the best possible conditions for continued living. The article makes a case for physician-assisted suicide legislation. It examines the 'quality-of-life' argument, and the issue of the patient's autonomy and competence. It is argued that (1) quality-of-life is a subjective concept. Only the patient can conclude for herself that her quality-of-life is so low to warrant ending it, and that (2) only competent patients may request ending their lives. Patients' lives should not be actively terminated by the medical team without the explicit consent of patients. The article then probes the role of physicians at the end-of-life, arguing that medicine should strive to cater to the wishes of all patients, not only the majority of them. Physicians should not turn their backs to justified requests by their patients. Physicians are best equipped to come to the help of patients at all stages of their illness, including their end-of-life. At the same time, in ending life, the final control mechanism should be with the patient. Thus, physician-assisted suicide is preferred to euthanasia in order to lower the possibility of abuse and of ending the lives of patients without their consent and against their wishes. As matters of life and death are grave, they should be taken with utmost seriousness, requiring the instalment of ample checks against abuse and facilitating mechanisms designed to serve the patient's best interests. The article concludes with 19 careful and detailed guidelines for physician-assisted suicide. These are necessary measures designed to ensure that the best interests of the patients are served as they wished.RésuméL’article commence par l’hypothèse que la position par défaut qui doit guider les fournisseurs de soins de santé lors du traitement de patients à la fin de la vie est que les patients optent pour la vie. En l’absence d’une demande explicite de mourir, nous pouvons supposer que les patients souhaitent continuer à vivre. Ainsi, le rôle de la profession médicale est de fournir aux patients les meilleures conditions possibles pour poursuivre la vie. L’article fait un cas pour la législation du suicide assisté par un médecin. Il examine l’argument « qualité de vie », et la question de l’autonomie et de la compétence du patient. On fait valoir que (1) la qualité de vie est un concept subjectif. Seul le patient peut conclure pour lui-même que sa qualité de vie est si faible pour justifier y mettre fin, et (2) que les seul le patient compétent peut demander de mettre fin à sa vie. Il ne devrait pas être mis fin activement à la vie des patients par l’équipe médicale sans le consentement explicite des patients. L’article explore ensuite le rôle des médecins à la fin de la vie, en faisant valoir que la médecine doit s’efforcer de répondre à toutes les attentes des patients, pas seulement à la majorité d’entre elles. Les médecins ne devraient pas tourner le dos aux demandes motivées de leurs patients. Les médecins sont les mieux équipés pour venir en aide à leurs patients à tous les stades de leur maladie, y compris en fin de vie. Dans le même temps, en fin de vie, le mécanisme de réglage final doit se faire avec le patient. Ainsi le suicide médicalement assisté est préférable à l’euthanasie pour réduire les abus comme mettre fin à la vie des patients sans leur consentement ou contre leur volonté. Comme les questions de la vie et de la mort sont graves, elles doivent être prises avec le plus grand sérieux. L’article conclut sur 19 directives précises et détaillées concernant le suicide médicalement assisté. Ces mesures nécessaires visent à assurer le meilleur intérêt des patients

Segregation of Fluorescent Membrane Lipids into Distinct Micrometric Domains: Evidence for Phase Compartmentation of Natural Lipids?

Background: We recently reported that sphingomyelin (SM) analogs substituted on the alkyl chain by various fluorophores (e.g. BODIPY) readily inserted at trace levels into the plasma membrane of living erythrocytes or CHO cells and spontaneously concentrated into micrometric domains. Despite sharing the same fluorescent ceramide backbone, BODIPY-SM domains segregated from similar domains labelled by BODIPY-D-e-lactosylceramide (D-e-LacCer) and depended on endogenous SM. Methodology/Principal Findings. We show here that BODIPY-SM further differed from BODIPY-D-e-LacCer or -glucosylceramide (GlcCer) domains in temperature dependence, propensity to excimer formation, association with a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored fluorescent protein reporter, and lateral diffusion by FRAP, thus demonstrating different lipid phases and boundaries. Whereas BODIPY-D-e-LacCer behaved like BODIPY-GlcCer, its artificial stereoisomer, BODIPY-L-t-LacCer, behaved like BODIPY- and NBD-phosphatidylcholine (PC). Surprisingly, these two PC analogs also formed micrometric patches yet preferably at low temperature, did not show excimer, never associated with the GPI reporter and showed major restriction to lateral diffusion when photobleached in large fields. This functional comparison supported a three-phase micrometric compartmentation, of decreasing order: BODIPY-GSLs > -SM > -PC (or artificial L-t-LacCer). Co-existence of three segregated compartments was further supported by double labelling experiments and was confirmed by additive occupancy, up to ~70% cell surface coverage. Specific alterations of BODIPY-analogs domains by manipulation of corresponding endogenous sphingolipids suggested that distinct fluorescent lipid partition might reflect differential intrinsic propensity of endogenous membrane lipids to form large assemblies. Conclusions/Significance. We conclude that fluorescent membrane lipids spontaneously concentrate into distinct micrometric assemblies. We hypothesize that these might reflect preexisting compartmentation of endogenous PM lipids into non-overlapping domains of differential order: GSLs > SM > PC, resulting into differential self-adhesion of the two former, with exclusion of the latter

Telomeric DNA induces apoptosis and senescence of human breast carcinoma cells

INTRODUCTION: Cancer is a leading cause of death in Americans. We have identified an inducible cancer avoidance mechanism in cells that reduces mutation rate, reduces and delays carcinogenesis after carcinogen exposure, and induces apoptosis and/or senescence of already transformed cells by simultaneously activating multiple overlapping and redundant DNA damage response pathways. METHODS: The human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7, the adriamycin-resistant MCF-7 (Adr/MCF-7) cell line, as well as normal human mammary epithelial (NME) cells were treated with DNA oligonucleotides homologous to the telomere 3' overhang (T-oligos). SCID mice received intravenous injections of MCF-7 cells followed by intravenous administration of T-oligos. RESULTS: Acting through ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and its downstream effectors, T-oligos induced apoptosis and senescence of MCF-7 cells but not NME cells, in which these signaling pathways were induced to a far lesser extent. In MCF-7 cells, experimental telomere loop disruption caused identical responses, consistent with the hypothesis that T-oligos act by mimicking telomere overhang exposure. In vivo, T-oligos greatly prolonged survival of SCID mice following intravenous injection of human breast carcinoma cells. CONCLUSION: By inducing DNA damage-like responses in MCF-7 cells, T-oligos provide insight into innate cancer avoidance mechanisms and may offer a novel approach to treatment of breast cancer and other malignancies

Bacteriomimetic invasin-functionalized nanocarriers for intracellular delivery.

Intracellular bacteria invade mammalian cells to establish an infectious niche. The current work models adhesion and subsequent internalization strategy of pathogenic bacteria into mammalian cells to design a bacteriomimetic bioinvasive delivery system. We report on the surface functionalization of liposomes with a C-terminal fragment of invasin (InvA497), an invasion factor in the outer membrane of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. InvA497-functionalized liposomes adhere to mammalian epithelial HEp-2 cell line at different infection stages with a significantly higher efficiency than liposomes functionalized with bovine serum albumin. Covalent attachment of InvA497 results in higher cellular adhesion than liposomes with physically adsorbed InvA497 with non-specific surface protein alignment. Uptake studies in HEp-2 cells indicate active internalization of InvA497-functionalized liposomes via β1-integrin receptor-mediated uptake mechanism mimicking the natural invasion strategy of Y. pseudotuberculosis. Uptake studies in Caco-2 cells at different polarization states demonstrate specific targeting of the InvA497-functionalized liposomes to less polarized cells reflecting the status of inflamed cells. Moreover, when loaded with the anti-infective agent gentamicin and applied to HEp-2 cells infected with Y. pseudotuberculosis, InvA497-functionalized liposomes are able to significantly reduce the infection load relative to non-functionalized drug-loaded liposomes. This indicates a promising application of such a bacteriomimetic system for drug delivery to intracellular compartments

Visualization of Src activity at different compartments of the plasma membrane by FRET imaging

SummaryMembrane compartments function as segregated signaling platforms for different cellular functions. It is not clear how Src is regulated at different membrane compartments. To visualize local Src activity in live cells, a FRET-based Src biosensor was targeted in or outside of lipid rafts at the plasma membrane, via acylation or prenylation modifications on targeting tags either directly fused to the biosensor or coupled to the biosensor through an inducible heterodimerization system. In response to growth factors and pervanadate, the induction of Src activity in rafts was slower and weaker, dependent on actin and possibly its mediated transportation of Src from perinuclear regions to the plasma membrane. In contrast, the induction of Src activity in nonrafts was faster and stronger, dependent on microtubules. Hence, Src activity is differentially regulated via cytoskeleton at different membrane compartments