Negative Emotional Stimuli Enhance Vestibular Processing

Recent studies have shown that vestibular stimulation can influence affective processes. In the present study, we examined whether emotional information can also modulate vestibular perception. Participants performed a vestibular discrimination task on a motion platform while viewing emotional pictures. Six different picture categories were taken from the International Affective Picture System: mutilation, threat, snakes, neutral objects, sports, and erotic pictures. Using a Bayesian hierarchical approach, we were able to show that vestibular discrimination improved when participants viewed emotionally negative pictures (mutilation, threat, snake) when compared to neutral/positive objects. We conclude that some of the mechanisms involved in the processing of vestibular information are also sensitive to emotional content. Emotional information signals importance and mobilizes the body for action. In case of danger, a successful motor response requires precise vestibular processing. Therefore, negative emotional information improves processing of vestibular information.

Choking under Pressure und Ego Depletion: Eine Erweiterung der Attentional Control Theory und mögliche Interventionsmaßnahmen

In Leistungssituationen sind Athletinnen und Athleten nicht immer dazu in der Lage, ihr Leistungsoptimum abzurufen. Auch wenn die Befundlage zum Angst-Leistungszusammenhang äußerst heterogen ist, so geht höheres Angsterleben häufig mit Leistungsbeeinträchtigungen einher. In dem vorliegenden Manuskript wird ein Überblick über verschiedene theoretische Modelle zur Erklärung des Angst-Leistungszusammenhangs gegeben. Der Fokus wird dabei auf die Attentional Control Theory gelegt, die besagt, dass unter Druck die Aufmerksamkeitsregulation weniger effizient ausfällt und folglich erhöhte Ablenkbarkeit die Leistung negativ beeinflusst. Es wird weiterhin argumentiert, dass die Selbstkontrollkraft den Angst-Leistungszusammenhang moderiert, so dass nur bei Personen mit temporär erschöpfter Selbstkontrollkraft ein negativer Angst-Leistungszusammenhang erwartet wird, wohingegen Personen mit momentan verfügbarer Selbstkontrollkraft trotz erhöhten Angsterlebens Höchstleistung erbringen können. Abschließend werden offene Fragestellungen thematisiert, alternative Erklärungsansätze vorgestellt sowie praktische Implikationen für die Sportpsychologie abgeleitet.

Reaction of Copper(II) Chloroacetate with Pyrazole. Synthesis of a One-Dimensional Coordination Polymer and Unexpected Dehydrochlorination Reaction

The reaction of copper(II) chloroacetate (1d) with pyrazole (Hpz) mainly yielded the mononuclear compound [Cu(μ-ClCH2COO)2(Hpz)2] (2m), which self-assembled generating a one-dimensional coordination polymer. Moreover, the concomitant isolation of the tetranuclear [{Cu2(μ-pz)(μ-OCH2COO)(Hpz)(MeOH)}2(μ-ClCH2COO)2] (3t) and hexanuclear [{Cu3(μ3-OH)(μ-pz)3(Hpz)2}2(μ-ClCH2COO)2](Cl)2 (4h) species evidenced the occurrence of a peculiar, previously unreported, dehydrochlorination reaction and the formation of the trinuclear triangular moiety [Cu3(μ3-OH)(μ-pz)3]. Theoretical calculations based on density functional theory including solvation effects indicate a possible pathway for the formation of 3t. Interestingly, besides the energy minimum corresponding to 3t, a further relative energy minimum is found for a species which can be considered a possible reaction intermediate.

Interaction of the Trinuclear Triangular Secondary Building Unit [Cu 3 (μ 3 -OH)(μ-pz) 3 ] 2+ with 4,4′-Bipyridine. Structural Characterizations of New Coordination Polymers and Hexanuclear Cu II Clusters. 2°

By reacting 4,4′-bipyridine (bpy) with selected trinuclear triangular CuII complexes, [Cu3(μ3-OH)(μ-pz)3(RCOO)2(LL′)] [pz = pyrazolate anion; R = CH3, CH3CH2, CH2═CH, CH2═C(CH3); L, L′ = Hpz, H2O, MeOH] in MeOH, the substitution of monotopic ligands by ditopic bpy was observed. Depending on the stoichiometric reaction ratios, different compounds were isolated and structurally characterized. One- and two-dimensional coordination polymers (CPs), as well as two hexanuclear CuII clusters were identified. One of the hexanuclear clusters self-assembles into a supramolecular three-dimensional structure, and its crystal packing shows the presence of two intersecting channels, one of which is almost completely occupied by guest bpy, while in the second one guest water molecules are present. This compound also shows a reversible, thermally induced, single-crystal-to-single-crystal transition.

Synthesis and Structural Characterizations of New Coordination Polymers Generated by the Interaction Between the Trinuclear Triangular SBU [Cu 3 (μ 3 -OH)(μ-pz) 3 ] 2+ and 4,4′-Bipyridine. 3°

The reactions of 4,4′-bipyridine with selected trinuclear triangular copper(II) complexes, [Cu3(μ3-OH)(μ-pz)3(RCOO)2Lx], [pz = pyrazolate anion, R = CH3(CH2)n (2 ≤ n ≤ 5); L = H2O, MeOH, EtOH] yielded a series of 1D coordination polymers (CPs) based on the repetition of [Cu3(μ3-OH)(μ-pz)3] secondary building units joined by bipyridine. The CPs were characterized by conventional analytical methods (elemental analyses, ESI-MS, IR spectra) and single crystal XRD determinations. An unprecedented 1D CP, generated through the bipyridine bridging hexanuclear copper clusters moieties, two 1D CPs presenting structural analogies, and two monodimensional tapes having almost exactly superimposable structures, were obtained. In one case, the crystal packing makes evident the presence of small, not-connected pores, accounting for ca. 6% of free cell volume.

Epithelial-intrinsic IKKα expression regulates group 3 innate lymphoid cell responses and antibacterial immunity

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are critical for maintaining epithelial barrier integrity at mucosal surfaces; however, the tissue-specific factors that regulate ILC responses remain poorly characterized. Using mice with intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)-specific deletions in either inhibitor of κB kinase (IKK)α or IKKβ, two critical regulators of NFκB activation, we demonstrate that IEC-intrinsic IKKα expression selectively regulates group 3 ILC (ILC3)-dependent antibacterial immunity in the intestine. Although IKKβ(ΔIEC) mice efficiently controlled Citrobacter rodentium infection, IKKα(ΔIEC) mice exhibited severe intestinal inflammation, increased bacterial dissemination to peripheral organs, and increased host mortality. Consistent with weakened innate immunity to C. rodentium, IKKα(ΔIEC) mice displayed impaired IL-22 production by RORγt(+) ILC3s, and therapeutic delivery of rIL-22 or transfer of sort-purified IL-22-competent ILCs from control mice could protect IKKα(ΔIEC) mice from C. rodentium-induced morbidity. Defective ILC3 responses in IKKα(ΔIEC) mice were associated with overproduction of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) by IECs, which negatively regulated IL-22 production by ILC3s and impaired innate immunity to C. rodentium. IEC-intrinsic IKKα expression was similarly critical for regulation of intestinal inflammation after chemically induced intestinal damage and colitis. Collectively, these data identify a previously unrecognized role for epithelial cell-intrinsic IKKα expression and TSLP in regulating ILC3 responses required to maintain intestinal barrier immunity.

Chlorophyll Breakdown in Tobacco: On the Structure of Two Nonfluorescent Chlorophyll Catabolites

In extracts of senescent leaves of the tobacco plant Nicotiana rustica, two colorless compounds with UV/VIS characteristics of nonfluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs) were detected and tentatively identified as Nr-NCCs. These two polar NCCs were found in similar amounts in the fresh extracts, and their constitutions could be determined by spectroscopic analysis. The data showed both of the two Nr-NCCs to have the same tetrapyrrolic core structure, as reported previously for all other NCCs from senescent higher plants. In the less polar catabolite, named Nr-NCC-2, this core structure was conjugated with a glucopyranose unit, as similarly discovered earlier in Bn-NCC-2, an NCC from oilseed rape (Brassica napus). The more polar NCC from tobacco leaves, Nr-NCC-1, carried an additional malonyl substituent at the 6′-OH group of the glucopyranosyl moiety. Partial (enzyme-catalyzed) hydrolysis of Nr-NCC-1 gave Nr-NCC-2, while enzyme-catalyzed malonylation of Nr-NCC-2 gave Nr-NCC-1, establishing the identity of their basic tetrapyrrole structure. In earlier work (on the polar NCCs from oilseed rape), only separate glucopyranosyl and malonyl functionalities were detected. Nr-NCC-1, thus, represents a further variant of the structures of NCCs from senescent higher plants and exhibits an unprecedented peripheral refunctionalization in chlorophyll catabolites.

When looking back to nothing goes back to nothing

Previous research showed that the eyes revisit the location in which the stimulus has been encoded when visual or verbal information is retrieved from memory. A recent study showed that this behavior still occurs 1 week after encoding, suggesting that visual, spatial and linguistic information is tightly associated with the oculomotor trace and stored as an integrated memory representation. However, it is yet unclear whether looking behavior simply remains stable between encoding and recall or whether it changes over time in a more fine-tuned manner. Here, we investigate the time course of looking behavior during recall in multiple sessions across 1 week. Participants encoded visual objects presented in one of the four locations on the computer screen. In five sessions during the week after encoding, they performed on a visual memory recall task. During retrieval, participants looked back to the encoding location, but only in the recall sessions within 1 day of encoding. We discuss different explanations for the temporal dynamics of looking behavior during recall, searching for the role of eye movements in memory.