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Previous studies have obtained inconsistent findings about emotional influence on inter-temporal choice. In the present study, we first examined the effect of temporary emotional priming induced by affective pictures in a trial-to-trial paradigm on inter-temporal choice. The results showed that negative priming resulted in much higher percentages of trials during which smaller-but-sooner rewards (SS%) were chosen compared with positive and neutral priming. Next, we attempted to explore the possible mechanisms underlying such emotional effects. When participants performed a time reproduction task, mean reaction times in negative priming conditions were significantly shorter than those in the other two emotional contexts, which indicated that negative emotional priming led to overestimation of time. Moreover, such overestimation was negatively correlated with performance in the inter-temporal choice task. In contrast, temporary changes of emotional contexts did not alter performances in a Go/NoGo task (including commission errors and omission errors). In sum, our present findings suggested that myopic decisions under negative emotions were associated with altered time perception but not response inhibition.

Ectopic lymphoid tissue, also known as tertiary lymphoid organs (TLO) develop adaptively within sites of chronic tissue inflammation, thereby allowing the host to efficiently crossprime specific immune effector cells within sites of disease. Recent evidence suggests that the presence of TLO in the tumor microenvironment (TME) predicts better overall survival. We will discuss the relevance of extranodal T cell priming within the TME as a means to effectively promote anti-tumor immunity and the strategic use of dendritic cell (DC)-based therapies to reinforce this clinically-preferred process in the cancer-bearing host.

All-trans retinoic acid (RA) plays important roles in brain development through regulating gene transcription. Recently, a novel postdevelopmental role of RA in mature brain was proposed. Specifically, RA rapidly enhanced excitatory synaptic transmission independent of transcriptional regulation. RA synthesis was induced when excitatory synaptic transmission was chronically blocked, and RA then activated dendritic protein synthesis and synaptic insertion of homomeric GluA1 AMPA receptors, thereby compensating for the loss of neuronal activity in a homeostatic fashion. This action of RA was suggested to be mediated by its canonical receptor RARα but no genetic evidence was available. Thus, we here tested the fundamental requirement of RARα in homeostatic plasticity using conditional RARα knockout mice, and additionally performed a structure-function analysis of RARα. We show that acutely deleting RARα in neurons eliminated RA’s effect on excitatory synaptic transmission, and inhibited activity blockade-induced homeostatic synaptic plasticity. By expressing various RARα rescue constructs in RARα knockout neurons, we found that the DNA-binding domain of RARα was dispensable for its role in regulating synaptic strength, further supporting the notion that RA and RARα act in a non-transcriptional manner in this context. By contrast, the ligand-binding domain (LBD) and the mRNA-binding domain (F-domain) are both necessary and sufficient for the function of RARα in homeostatic plasticity. Furthermore, we found that homeostatic regulation performed by the LBD/F domains leads to insertion of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors. Our results confirm with unequivocal genetic approaches that RA and RARα perform essential non-transcriptional functions in regulating synaptic strength, and establish a functional link between the various domains of RARα and their involvement in regulating protein synthesis and excitatory synaptic transmission during homeostatic plasticity.

Given the challenges to the notion of objectivity posed by social psychological research on investigator effects, constructivist and critical epistemological perspectives, and the introduction of qualitative research methods in psychology, the investigators examined how leading methodologists understand the function of objectivity and subjectivity in psychological science. The aim of the study was to learn how contemporary methodologists view these issues so as to communicate converging perspectives to the field and inform methods education. A brief historical review of the concept of objectivity in psychology is presented to contexualize this examination. Eleven accomplished methodologists with expertise in a range of methods and epistemological perspectives were interviewed. Findings from a grounded theory analysis demonstrated that all the participants expressed concern about the belief that science is unaffected by scientists' perspectives, believing researchers and educators should problematize this perspective. Recommendations from participants included that science be viewed as a value-laden endeavor in which scientists systematically conduct research from multiple epistemological perspectives, and/or utilize diverse methods tailored to address their questions. Scientific procedures were detailed that could curtail dangers of either unchecked subjectivity or a false sense of objectivity. A functional analysis of these constructs, objectivity and subjectivity, suggested they both serve a similar scientific and an ethical purpose-to prevent the premature foreclosure of possible understanding because of the expectations of researchers. The mainstreaming of disclosures about the perspectives and positions of investigators, as well as their management, and the implementation of epistemological and methodological pluralism are encouraged to support this ethic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: To understand patient, primary care clinician (PCC), and subspecialist perspectives on potential, unexplored roles for patients in electronic consultation and referral (eCR) systems., Data Sources: Primary focus group and survey data collected April-November 2015. Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) is part of an integrated public health delivery system. Its mature eCR system was first implemented in 2005., Study Design: This mixed-methods study synthesizes patient, subspecialist, and PCC perspectives through two patient focus groups in English, Spanish, and Cantonese (n = 6); subspecialist focus groups (n = 2); and an electronic survey of all PCCs (n = 222/634, 35 percent response)., Data Collection/extraction Methods: Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. Two researchers coded the transcripts to identify recurrent themes. Survey data were analyzed using summary and bivariate statistics., Principal Findings: Patients expressed minimal desire to directly engage in eCR, instead of emphasizing their PCC's role in advocating, informing, and finding health solutions. Subspecialists requested more consistent communication to patients about the electronic consultation process. Most PCCs (52 percent) supported patient engagement in the eCR process, particularly patient ability to track consult status and securely message with subspecialists., Conclusions: Results suggest a continuum of opportunities for patients and their caregivers to engage in eCR systems., (© Health Research and Educational Trust.)

PURPOSE. Timely and adequate rehabilitation after a stroke is crucial to maximising recovery. A way of increasing treatment access could be through robots, which would aid therapists in providing post-stroke rehabilitation. This research sought to discover the needs and preferences of therapists with respect to a robot that focuses on upper limb rehabilitation. Understanding requirements for devices could help to increase integration into clinical practice. METHODS. An international online survey was distributed through professional organisations and e-mail list services to therapists. The survey contained 85 items covering topics such as therapist background and treatment approach, rehabilitation aims and robotic rehabilitation device attributes. RESULTS. Data were analysed for 233 respondents, most of whom were physiotherapists and occupational therapists from Australia, Canada and USA. Top attributes included: facilitating a variety of arm movements, being usable while seated, giving biofeedback to clients, having virtual activities specific to daily living, being useful in-home and having resistance adjustable to client needs. In addition, the device should cost under 6000 USD. CONCLUSIONS. Findings from this survey provide guidance for technology developers regarding therapists' specifications for a robotic device for upper limb rehabilitation. In addition, findings offer a better understanding of how acceptance of such devices may be facilitated.