The implicit power of positive thinking: The effect of positive episodic simulation on implicit future expectancies

Previous research demonstrating that positive episodic simulation enhances future expectancies has relied on explicit expectancy measures. The current study investigated the effects of episodic simulation on implicit expectancies. Using the Future Thinking Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (FT-IRAP), participants made true/false decisions to indicate whether or not they expected positive/negative outcomes after adopting orientations consistent or inconsistent with an optimistic disposition. The outcome measure, DIRAP, was based on response time differences between consistent and inconsistent blocks. Participants then engaged in either positive simulation training, in which they imagined positive future events, or a neutral visualisation task before repeating the FT-IRAP twice following 10-minute intervals. Positive simulation training increased DIRAP scores for don’t-expect-negative trials – boosting participants’ readiness to affirm that negative events were unlikely to happen to them. Although findings did not generalise across all trial types, they show potential for positive simulation training to enhance implicit future expectancies

Differential Root Proteome Expression in Tomato Genotypes with Contrasting Drought Tolerance Exposed to Dehydration

A comparative proteomics study using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) was performed on a mesophytic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivar and a dehydration-resistant wild species (Solanum chilense) to identify proteins that play key roles in tolerance to water deficit stress. In tomato ‘Walter’ LA3465, 130 proteins were identified, of which 104 (80%) were repressed and 26 (20%) were induced. In S. chilense LA1958, a total of 170 proteins were identified with 106 (62%) repressed and 64 (38%) induced. According to their putative molecular functions, the differentially expressed proteins belong to the following subgroups: stress proteins, gene expression, nascent protein processing, protein folding, protein degradation, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid and nucleotide metabolism, lipid metabolism, signal transduction, and cell cycle regulation. Based on changes in protein abundance induced by the dehydration treatment, cellular metabolic activities and protein biosynthesis were suppressed by the stress. In S. chilense, dehydration treatment led to elevated accumulation of proteins involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation and fidelity in protein translation including prefoldin, which promotes protein folding without the use of adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP), several hydrophilic proteins, and calmodulin in the calcium signal transduction pathway. Those protein changes were not found in the susceptible tomato, ‘Walter’. Within each functional protein group, proteins showing opposite changes (dehydration induced vs. repressed) in the two species were identified and roles of those proteins in conferring tolerance to water deficit stress are discussed. Information provided in this report will be useful for selection of proteins or genes in analyzing or improving dehydration tolerance in tomato cultivars

Tinnitus with a normal audiogram:relation to noise exposure but no evidence for cochlear synaptopathy

In rodents, exposure to high-level noise can destroy synapses between inner hair cells and auditory nerve fibers, without causing hair cell loss or permanent threshold elevation. Such “cochlear synaptopathy” is associated with amplitude reductions in wave I of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) at moderate-to-high sound levels. Similar ABR results have been reported in humans with tinnitus and normal audiometric thresholds, leading to the suggestion that tinnitus in these cases might be a consequence of synaptopathy. However, the ABR is an indirect measure of synaptopathy and it is unclear whether the results in humans reflect the same mechanisms demonstrated in rodents. Measures of noise exposure were not obtained in the human studies, and high frequency audiometric loss may have impacted ABR amplitudes. To clarify the role of cochlear synaptopathy in tinnitus with a normal audiogram, we recorded ABRs, envelope following responses (EFRs), and noise exposure histories in young adults with tinnitus and matched controls. Tinnitus was associated with significantly greater lifetime noise exposure, despite close matching for age, sex, and audiometric thresholds up to 14 kHz. However, tinnitus was not associated with reduced ABR wave I amplitude, nor with significant effects on EFR measures of synaptopathy. These electrophysiological measures were also uncorrelated with lifetime noise exposure, providing no evidence of noise-induced synaptopathy in this cohort, despite a wide range of exposures. In young adults with normal audiograms, tinnitus may be related not to cochlear synaptopathy but to other effects of noise exposure

Identification of Proteins for Salt Tolerance Using a Comparative Proteomics Analysis of Tomato Accessions with Contrasting Salt Tolerance

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) has a wide variety of genotypes differing in their responses to salinity. This study was performed to identify salt-induced changes in proteomes that are distinguishable among tomatoes with contrasting salt tolerance. Tomato accessions [LA4133 (a salt-tolerant cherry tomato accession) and ‘Walter’ LA3465 (a salt-susceptible accession)] were subjected to salt treatment (200 mm NaCl) in hydroponic culture. Salt-induced changes in the root proteomes of each tomato accession were identified using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) method. In LA4133, 178 proteins showed significant differences between salt-treated and non-treated control root tissues (P ≤ 0.05); 169 proteins were induced (1.3- to 5.1-fold) and nine repressed (–1.7- to –1.3-fold). In LA3465, 115 proteins were induced (1.3- to 6.4-fold) and 23 repressed (–2.5- to –1.3-fold). Salt-responsive proteins from the two tomato accessions were involved in the following biological processes: root system development and structural integrity; carbohydrate metabolism; adenosine-5′-triphosphate regeneration and consumption; amino acid metabolism; fatty acid metabolism; signal transduction; cellular detoxification; protein turnover and intracellular trafficking; and molecular activities for regulating gene transcription, protein translation, and post-translational modification. Proteins affecting diverse cellular activities were identified, which include chaperonins and cochaperonins, heat-shock proteins, antioxidant enzymes, and stress proteins. Proteins exhibiting different salt-induced changes between the tolerant and susceptible tomato accessions were identified, and these proteins were divided into two groups: 1) proteins with quantitative differences because they were induced or repressed by salt stress in both accessions but at different fold levels; and 2) proteins showing qualitative differences, where proteins were induced in one vs. repressed or not changed in the other accession. Candidate proteins for tolerance to salt and secondary cellular stresses (such as hypo-osmotic stress and dehydration) were proposed based on findings from the current and previous studies on tomato and by the use of the Arabidopsis thaliana protein database. Information provided in this report will be very useful for evaluating and breeding for plant tolerance to salt and/or water deficit stresses

Drought-Induced Leaf Proteome Changes in Switchgrass Seedlings

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a perennial crop producing deep roots and thus highly tolerant to soil water deficit conditions. However, seedling establishment in the field is very susceptible to prolonged and periodic drought stress. In this study, a “sandwich” system simulating a gradual water deletion process was developed. Switchgrass seedlings were subjected to a 20-day gradual drought treatment process when soil water tension was increased to 0.05 MPa (moderate drought stress) and leaf physiological properties had expressed significant alteration. Drought-induced changes in leaf proteomes were identified using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) labeling method followed by nano-scale liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS/MS) analysis. Additionally, total leaf proteins were processed using a combinatorial library of peptide ligands to enrich for lower abundance proteins. Both total proteins and those enriched samples were analyzed to increase the coverage of the quantitative proteomics analysis. A total of 7006 leaf proteins were identified, and 257 (4% of the leaf proteome) expressed a significant difference (p \u3c 0.05, fold change \u3c0.6 or \u3e1.7) from the non-treated control to drought-treated conditions. These proteins are involved in the regulation of transcription and translation, cell division, cell wall modification, phyto-hormone metabolism and signaling transduction pathways, and metabolic pathways of carbohydrates, amino acids, and fatty acids. A scheme of abscisic acid (ABA)-biosynthesis and ABA responsive signal transduction pathway was reconstructed using these drought-induced significant proteins, showing systemic regulation at protein level to deploy the respective mechanism. Results from this study, in addition to revealing molecular responses to drought stress, provide a large number of proteins (candidate genes) that can be employed to improve switchgrass seedling growth and establishment under soil drought conditions (Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD004675)

Effect of Aluminum Treatment on Proteomes of Radicles of Seeds Derived from Al-Treated Tomato Plants

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major constraint to plant growth and crop yield in acid soils. Tomato cultivars are especially susceptible to excessive Al3+ accumulated in the root zone. In this study, tomato plants were grown in a hydroponic culture system supplemented with 50 µM AlK(SO4)2. Seeds harvested from Al-treated plants contained a significantly higher Al content than those grown in the control hydroponic solution. In this study, these Al-enriched tomato seeds (harvested from Al-treated tomato plants) were germinated in 50 µM AlK(SO4)2 solution in a homopiperazine-1,4-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid) buffer (pH 4.0), and the control solution which contained the buffer only. Proteomes of radicles were analyzed quantitatively by mass spectrometry employing isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ®). The proteins identified were assigned to molecular functional groups and cellular metabolic pathways using MapMan. Among the proteins whose abundance levels changed significantly were: a number of transcription factors; proteins regulating gene silencing and programmed cell death; proteins in primary and secondary signaling pathways, including phytohormone signaling and proteins for enhancing tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress. Among the metabolic pathways, enzymes in glycolysis and fermentation and sucrolytic pathways were repressed. Secondary metabolic pathways including the mevalonate pathway and lignin biosynthesis were induced. Biological reactions in mitochondria seem to be induced due to an increase in the abundance level of mitochondrial ribosomes and enzymes in the TCA cycle, electron transport chains and ATP synthesis

The relationship between depressive symptoms and positive emotional anticipation of goal achievement

Depression is associated with difficulties in goal pursuit which could be related to deficits in emotional anticipation regarding goal success. Therefore, the reported study investigated emotional anticipation for personal goals and whether this differs as a function of depressive symptoms. After listing approach and avoidance goals, 263 participants made predictions about these goals (e.g. likelihood of achievement and controllability) and rated the vividness and perspective with which they envisaged goal achievement. They also provided ratings of either anticipated (predicted emotions that would accompany goal success) or anticipatory (in-the-moment emotions when imagining goal success) positive emotions. Higher levels of depressive symptomatology were associated with pessimistic predictions about goal achievement, coupled with reduced vividness and greater adoption of observer perspective when envisaging achievement. Furthermore, those experiencing higher levels of depressive symptoms evidenced biases in both anticipated and anticipatory positive emotions associated with goal success. They believed that goal achievement would bring them lower levels of positive emotion and also reported less in-the-moment happiness, satisfaction, and pleasure when thinking about achieving their goals. Irrespective of depressive symptom level, anticipated emotions were generally stronger than anticipatory emotions. These findings have implications both for research on future-oriented emotions (anticipated and anticipatory) and for the development of therapeutic techniques to aid depression

The implicit power of positive thinking: The effect of positive episodic simulation on implicit future expectancies

Previous research demonstrating that positive episodic simulation enhances future expectancies has relied on explicit expectancy measures. The current study investigated the effects of episodic simulation on implicit expectancies. Using the Future Thinking Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (FT-IRAP), participants made true/false decisions to indicate whether or not they expected positive/negative outcomes after adopting orientations consistent or inconsistent with an optimistic disposition. The outcome measure, DIRAP, was based on response time differences between consistent and inconsistent blocks. Participants then engaged in either positive simulation training, in which they imagined positive future events, or a neutral visualisation task before repeating the FT-IRAP twice following 10-minute intervals. Positive simulation training increased DIRAP scores for don’t-expect-negative trials–boosting participants’ readiness to affirm that negative events were unlikely to happen to them. Although findings did not generalise across all trial types, they show potential for positive simulation training to enhance implicit future expectancies

Surface plasmon resonance imaging of excitable cells

Surface plasmons (SPs) are surface charge density oscillations occuring at a metal/dieletric interface and are highly sensitive to refractive index variations adjacent to the surface. This sensitivity has been exploited successfully for chemical and biological assays. In these systems, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based sensor detects temporal variations in the refractive index at a point. SPR has also been used in imaging systems where the spatial variations of refractive index in the sample provide the contrast mechanism. SPR imaging systems using high numerical aperture (NA) objective lenses have been designed to image adherent live cells with high magnification and near-diffraction limited spatial resolution. Addressing research questions in cell physiology and pharmacology often requires the development of a multimodal microscope where complementary information can be obtained.In this paper, we present the development of a multimodal microscope that combines SPR imaging with a number of additional imaging modalities including bright-field, epifluorescence, total internal reflection microscopy and SPR fluorescence microscopy. We used a high NA objective lens for SPR and TIR microscopy and the platform has been used to image live cell cultures demonstrating both fluorescent and label-free techniques. Both the SPR and TIR imaging systems feature a wide field of view (~300 µm) that allows measurements from multiple cells whilst maintaining a resolution sufficient to image fine cellular processes. The capability of the platform to perform label-free functional imaging of living cells was demonstrated by imaging the spatial variations in contractions from stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. This technique shows promise for non-invasive imaging of cultured cells over very long periods of time during development

A chemical model of the neutral envelope of the planetary nebula NGC 7027

In response to the recent molecular observations by ISO and millimeter-wave telescopes, we have developed a spherically symmetric, steady state chemical model for the planetary nebula NGC 7027. In our model, the neutral envelope consists of a geometrically thin, high-density shell of constant density and an outer stellar wind region with an inverse-square law density profile. The neutral envelope is subjected to ultraviolet (UV) radiation both from the central star and from the external interstellar field. Under an assumed visual extinction of 4 mag for the neutral envelope, the gas in our model is half molecular and half atomic. Simple molecules such as CH, CH +, OH are abundantly formed at an assumed gas temperature of 800 K in the partially molecular shell. The presence of molecular ions such as HCO + and CO + is well explained by photochemistry at high temperatures. The model CN/HCN ratio is almost constant at about 30 throughout the wind region and is 1-10 in the dense shell, comparable to observed values in planetary nebulae. Our model suggests that molecules are as efficiently formed with timescales shorter than 100 yr as they are photodissociated in the neutral envelope of NGC 7027 and probably in other young planetary nebulae.published_or_final_versio