Phase-related Changes Research Articles

Hormonal status effects on the electrophysiological correlates of performance monitoring in women

Fluctuations in ovarian hormones are thought to play a role in the increased prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders in women. Error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe) are two putative electrophysiological biomarkers for these internalizing disorders. We investigated whether female hormonal status, specifically menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptive (OC) use, impact ERN and Pe. Additionally, we examined whether the relationship between the ERN and negative affect (NA) was moderated by hormonal status and tested whether the ERN mediated the relation between ovarian hormones and NA. Participants were healthy, pre-menopausal women who were naturally cycling (NC) or using OCs. Using a counterbalanced within-subject design, all participants performed a speeded-choice reaction-time task twice while undergoing electroencephalography measurements. NC women (N = 42) performed this task during the early follicular and midluteal phase (when estrogen and progesterone are both low and both high, respectively), while OC users (N = 42) performed the task during active OC use and during their pill-free week. Estradiol and progesterone levels were assessed in saliva. Comparing the two cycle phases within NC women revealed no differences in the (Δ)ERN, (Δ)Pe or NA. We did observe a negative relation between phase-related changes in the ΔERN and changes in NA. Mediation analysis additionally showed that phase-related changes in estradiol were indirectly and negatively related to NA through a reduction of ΔERN amplitudes. When comparing active OC users with NC women, we observed increased ΔPe- but not (Δ)ERN amplitudes in the former group. No evidence was found for moderating effects of menstrual cycle phase or OC use on the relation between the ERN and NA. These findings suggest that hormonal status may impact the neural correlates of performance monitoring and error sensitivity, and that this could be a potential mechanism through which ovarian hormones influence mood.

Hormone and enzyme reactivity before, during, and after a music performance: Cortisol, testosterone, and alpha-amylase

Performance anxiety is common in a wide range of settings. This study was designed to explore the hormonal correlates of a music performance recital – a setting commonly associated with extreme and often unsettling anxiety linked to the anticipation of performing. Thirty-nine college undergraduate participants (24 women and 15 men) were recruited from students enrolled in an undergraduate music performance course. Each gave a saliva sample on a neutral non-performance day and gave additional samples immediately before and 10 and 30-min after each of two solo music recitals. Samples were subsequently assayed for cortisol, alpha-amylase, and testosterone. For women, pre-performance salivary cortisol levels were significantly elevated relative to neutral-day baseline (presumably in anticipation of performing) and continued to rise in association with the performance phase of the recital. Pre-performance alpha-amylase was significantly higher than neutral-day baseline. Testosterone increased in connection with the performance phase of the recital, but not during the anticipation phase. For all three products, patterns for men were generally similar to those for women, though not as statistically robust, perhaps owing to the smaller sample size. Increases in cortisol and alpha-amylase, from neutral-day to immediately pre-performance on recital day, suggest an effect related to the psychological anticipation of the recital. Cortisol and testosterone (but not alpha-amylase) increased in association with the performance phase of the recital. Phase-related changes in these products appears to reflect a coordinated response to the stress of a music recital and perhaps, more generally, to social-evaluative threat.

Menstrual Cycle Changes in Daily Sexual Motivation and Behavior Among Sexually Diverse Cisgender Women.

We used a one-month daily diary assessment to measure menstrual cycle-related changes in same-gender and other-gender sexual motivation and behavior in 148 cisgender women (32% lesbian-identified, 35% bisexually identified, and 33% heterosexual-identified). Women with exclusive same-gender orientations reported increased motivation for same-gender sexual contact during the higher-fertility phase of the cycle, but women with exclusive other-gender orientations did not show a parallel increase in other-gender sexual motivation during the higher-fertility phase. Bisexually attracted women showed no phase-related changes in same-gender or other-gender sexual motivation, regardless of whether they generally preferred one gender versus the other. Rates of partnered sexual contact did not increase during the higher-fertility phase. During the 14 midcycle days during which we assayed salivary estrogen and testosterone, we found no significant associations between daily hormones and sexual motivation. However, daily estrogen levels were positively related to sexual behavior among women currently partnered with women, and negatively related to sexual behavior among women currently partnered with men. Our results suggest that traditional evolutionary models of menstrual cycle-related changes in sexual motivation do not adequately reflect the full range of cycle-related changes observed among sexually diverse women.

Functional assessment of the gluteus medius, cranial part of the biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis in Beagle dogs based on a novel gait phase classification.

In humans, walking analysis based on the gait phase classification has been used for interpretation of functional roles of different movements occurring at individual joints, and it is useful for establishing a rehabilitation plan. However, there have been few reports on canine gait phase classification, and this is one of the reasons for preventing progress in canine rehabilitation. In this study, we determined phases of the canine gait cycle (GC) on the basis of the phase classification for human gait. The canine GC was able to be divided into initial contact (IC) and the following 5 phases: loading response (LR), middle stance (MidSt), pre-swing (PSw), early swing (ESw), and late swing (LSw). Next, the hind limb joint angles of the hip, stifle and tarsal joints and results of surface electromyography of the gluteus medius (GM), cranial part of the biceps femoris (CBF) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles in relation to the gait phases were analyzed. The activities of three muscles showed similar changes during walking. The muscle activities were high in the LR phase and then declined and reached a minimum in the PSw phase, but they increased and reached a peak in the LSw phase, which was followed by the LR phase. In conclusion, the multiphasic canine GC was developed by modification of the human model, and the GC phase-related changes in the muscle activity and joint angles suggested the functions of GM, CBF and VL muscles in walking.

Premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder among women aged 15-49 years

Objective: Approximately 80% of women in reproductive age experience some premenstrual ‎phase-related changes in the menstrual cycle. We aimed to determine the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and ‎premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptom frequency among women aged 15-49 years in a family practice catchment area.
 Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the women registered to a family practice center in İzmir Bayraklı. Out of 522 women at the age of 15-49 years, 198 participants filled the Premenstrual Assessment Form (PAF) and answered demographic questions. The main outcome measures were the presence of “premenstrual ‎symptoms” and “premenstrual syndrome”.
 Results: The mean age, waist circumference and BMI of the women were 29.3±9.1 years, 80.4±13.2 ‎cm and 25.2±5.1 kg/m2, respectively. Of the participants, 68.2% (n=131) were single and 60.4% ‎‎ (n=116) were housewives. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) was present in all the women involved in the study. Of ‎these, 3.6% were evaluated as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). None of the ‎independent variables in the study revealed as risk factors for PMDD (p>0.05). Mean PAF scores were ‎2.22±0.90‎. There was no correlation between PAF scores and the studied variables except for waist ‎circumference (r = -0.17; p = 0.02). The sociodemographic variables ‎were not related with PMS (p> 0.05).‎
 Conclusions: Training and counseling on the causes and ‎symptoms of PMS should be provided to women, particularly in primary health care facilities, and in-service trainings should be ‎conducted to provide information to the staff working in family practice centers.‎

ASSV

As one kind of biological characteristics of people, handwritten signature has been widely used in the banking industry, government and education. Verifying handwritten signatures manually causes too much human cost, and its high probability of errors can threaten the property safety and even society stability. Therefore, the need for an automatic verification system is emphasized. This paper proposes a device-free on-line handwritten signature verification system ASSV, providing paper-based handwritten signature verification service. As far as we know, ASSV is the first system which uses the changes of acoustic signals to realize signature verification. ASSV differs from previous on-line signature verification work in two aspects: 1. It requires neither a special sensor-instrumented pen nor a tablet; 2. People do not need to wear a device such as a smartwatch on the dominant hand for hand tracking. Differing from previous acoustic-based sensing systems, ASSV uses a novel chord-based method to estimate phase-related changes caused by tiny actions. Then based on the estimation, frequency-domain features are extracted by a discrete cosine transform (DCT). Moreover, a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) model fed with distance matrices is designed to verify signatures. Extensive experiments show that ASSV is a robust, efficient and secure system achieving an AUC of 98.7% and an EER of 5.5% with a low latency.

Effects of menstrual cycle phase on associations between the error-related negativity and checking symptoms in women

The menstrual cycle is known to impact mood and cognitive function and has been shown to lead to variability in symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorders and anxiety. Using a within-subject design, the present study examined ovarian hormones, the error-related negativity (ERN), and self-reported checking symptoms in both the mid-follicular and mid-luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. ERN amplitude and checking symptom severity did not vary between the follicular and luteal phases. However, a more negative ERN was associated with greater checking symptoms in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, even when controlling for ERN amplitude in the follicular phase. Moreover, changes in checking symptoms between phases were associated with phase-related changes in the ERN. Finally, a significant mediation model was found such that the ERN measured in the luteal phase mediated the association between progesterone in the luteal phase and checking symptoms in the luteal phase. Collectively, the present findings suggest that levels of progesterone in the luteal phase could impact checking symptoms by modulating response monitoring and sensitivity to errors, and that fluctuation in the ERN between menstrual cycle phases may play an important role in the expression of anxious and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Experimental constraints on metasomatism of mantle wedge peridotites by hybridized adakitic melts

In this study, a series of high-pressure (1.5 GPa) and high-temperature (1000–1300 °C) experiments were performed to investigate the petrological imprints of adakitic metasomatism on mantle wedge peridotites. Reaction couples were prepared using a powdered adakite from Cerro Pampa, Argentina (Mg# ~0.7) placed in contact with a cored sample of medium-grained protogranular depleted spinel lherzolite from Pali Aike (Chile). Textural and chemical analyses of the run products allow us to identify key features of modal metasomatism by hybridized adakitic melts. The main changes in phase relations are associated with the following metasomatic reactions: incongruent dissolution of olivine and associated precipitation of secondary orthopyroxene, dissolution of primary spinel and subsequent replacement by secondary high-Cr spinel. In experiments with high water contents (9–12 wt%), precipitation of pargasitic amphibole also occurred, possibly at the expense of primary clinopyroxene. Neither phlogopite nor Ti-oxides were precipitated in any of these experiments. As expected, primary pyroxenes do not show evidence of being significantly altered following the interaction with the produced siliceous melts. Within the adakitic portion of the experimental charge, it was also observed the crystallization of secondary Ti-rich, Cr- and Na-poor diopsidic clinopyroxene, andesine plagioclase and, at low temperature, Fe-enriched secondary orthopyroxene. Considering textural criteria, we interpreted the formation of these minerals as crystallization products of the adakite component and not as true products of metasomatic reactions. The experimental results are used to discuss some of the petrological evidences presented to support modal metasomatism by slab-derived melts of mantle xenoliths extracted from several suprasubduction settings located around the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Fatal and non-fatal inflammatory injuries induced by different concentrations of L-arginine in Kunming rats

To establish animal models of fatal and non-fatal pancreatitis, we randomly divided 55 Kunming rats into three groups: Group A received three intraperitoneal injections of 8% L-arginine (L-arg); Group B received three intraperitoneal injections of 10% L-arg; and Group C (the control group) received three intraperitoneal injections of saline. After the third injection, biochemical indices and pathological changes in the pancreas and lungs were evaluated. In Group A, the rats experienced peak inflammatory edema at 48 h after the injections and exhibited the highest pathological score, but the biochemical indices showed no phase-related changes. In Group B, the rats exhibited significantly increased biochemical indices at 12 h after injection and experienced peak inflammatory edema at 24 h; the pathological score was also the highest, significantly different from the observations for Groups A and C ( P < 0.05), and the mortality rate was 64% over 72 h. Thus, it was inferred that L-arg could be used to establish pancreatitis models and that different concentrations lead to different lesions.

Location and phase effects for ocular and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials evoked by bone-conducted stimuli at midline skull sites.

Our object was to investigate the effect of location and phase on the properties of oVEMPs and cVEMPs evoked by two bone conducted (BC) stimuli, 500 Hz and an impulsive stimulus for midline skull sites from Nz to Iz, in normal volunteers. Compressive and rarefactive onset phases were used and the induced linear and rotational accelerations measured. We confirmed our previous finding of marked changes in the polarity of oVEMPs with location. For cVEMPs using the 500Hz stimulus there were few changes with location or phase, but the impulsive stimulus showed clear phase-related changes at several locations, with the shortest latencies occurring with compressive stimuli at AFz and Fz and the largest amplitudes at Iz. For oVEMPs, both stimuli showed clear effects of phase, with the shortest latencies with compressive stimuli at AFz and Fz and with the largest negativity at Oz or Iz. Whereas the effectiveness at Iz is consistent with a role in the linear VOR, the inversion of polarity and shorter latency around AFz and Fz is not and could not be explained by changes in acceleration of the head. The latency for BC 500Hz oVEMPs for AFz was the same as that for air-conducted (AC) stimuli. We suggest that whereas BC stimuli at most sites work through displacement of the otolith membrane, BC oVEMPs evoked at AFz and Fz may work through a direct action on utricular hair cells. Our findings have implications for clinical testing of VEMPs using midline BC stimuli. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We investigated VEMPs evoked from multiple midline skull sites. Large oVEMP responses were obtained with compressive stimuli at Iz, consistent with a role in the linear VOR, but we also showed inversion of polarity and the shortest latency for stimuli given at AFz and Fz. We propose that BC stimuli given at AFz and Fz may have a direct effect on otolith hair cells, whereas at other sites they work through displacement of the otolith membrane.

The 155-day X-ray cycle of the very massive Wolf–Rayet star Melnick 34 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

The Wolf–Rayet star Mk 34 was observed more than 50 times as part of the deep T-ReX Chandra ACIS-I X-ray imaging survey of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud conducted between 2014 May and 2016 January. Its brightness showed one bright maximum and repeated faint minima which help define an X-ray recurrence time of 155.1 ± 0.1 d that is probably the orbital period of an eccentric binary system. The maximum immediately precedes the minimum in the folded X-ray light curve as confirmed by new Swift XRT observations. Notwithstanding its extreme median luminosity of 1.2 × 1035 erg s−1, which makes it over an order of magnitude brighter than comparable stars in the Milky Way, Mk 34 is almost certainly a colliding-wind binary system. Its spectrum shows phase-related changes of luminosity and absorption that are probably related to the orbital dynamics of two of the most massive stars known.

Phase-dependent changes in local dynamic stability during walking in elderly with and without knee osteoarthritis

Previously, we reported reduced time-averaged knee local stability, in the unaffected, but not the affected leg of elderly with knee osteoarthritis OA compared to controls. Since stability may show phase-related changes, we reanalyzed the dataset reported previously using time-dependent local stability, λ(t), and also calculated time-averaged local stability, λs, for comparison.We studied treadmill walking at increasing speeds, focusing on sagittal plane knee movements. 16 patients, 12 healthy peers and 15 young subjects were measured. We found a clear maximum in λ(t) (i.e. minimum in stability) at around 60% of the stride cycle (StanceMax λ(t)), a second clear maximum (SwingMax λ(t)) at around 95% followed by a minimum between 70% and 100% (SwingMin λ(t)).StanceMax λ(t) of both legs was significantly higher in the OA than the young control group. Values for healthy elderly fell between those of the other groups, were significantly higher than in young adults, but there was only a trend towards a significant difference with the StanceMax λ(t) of the OA group׳s affected side. Time-averaged and time-dependent stability measures within one leg were uncorrelated, while time-dependent stability measures at the affected side were inversely correlated with λs at the unaffected side.The results indicate that time-dependent local dynamic stability might provide a more detailed insight into the problems of gait stability in OA than conventional averaged local dynamic stability measures and support the notion that the paradoxical decline in unaffected side time-averaged local stability may be caused by a trade-off between affected and unaffected side stability.

Natural variation in testosterone is associated with hypoalgesia in healthy women.

Sex differences in pain are well established, with women reporting greater incidence of clinical pain and heightened responsivity to experimental pain stimuli relative to men. Sex hormones (ie, estrogens, progestins, androgens) could contribute to extant differences in pain sensitivity between men and women. Despite this, there has been limited experimental research assessing the relationship between pain and sex hormones. The purpose of this study was to extend previous research and examine the association between sex hormones and nociceptive processing in healthy women. A total of 40 healthy women were tested during the mid-follicular, ovulatory, and late-luteal phases of the menstrual cycle (testing order counterbalanced). Salivary estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone were collected at each testing session and pain was examined from electrocutaneous threshold/tolerance, ischemia threshold/tolerance, and McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form ratings of noxious stimuli. Nociceptive flexion reflex threshold was assessed as a measure of spinal nociception. Overall, there were no significant menstrual phase-related differences in pain outcomes. Nonetheless, variability in testosterone (and to a lesser degree estradiol) was associated with pain; testosterone was antinociceptive, whereas estradiol was pronociceptive. No hormone was associated with nociceptive flexion reflex threshold. Although future research is needed to replicate and extend these findings to clinical populations (ie, chronic pain, premenstrual dysphoric disorder), results from the present study indicate that menstrual phase-related changes in sex hormones have minimal influence on experimental pain. However, individual differences in testosterone may play a protective role against pain in healthy women.

Interaction between dopamine and neuropeptide Y in the telencephalon of the Indian major carp, Cirrhinus cirrhosus

In teleosts, while neuropeptide Y (NPY) has emerged as one of the potent regulators of GnRH-LH axis, entopeduncular nucleus (EN) in the ventral telencephalon serves as major site for NPY synthesis/storage. Neurons of the EN innervate preoptic area and pituitary, respond to gonadal steroids, undergo reproduction phase-related changes, and are believed to convey sex steroid-borne information to GnRH neurons. In spite of the importance of EN, the neural circuitry associated with the nucleus has not been defined. Aim of the present study is to examine the possibility of the dopaminergic regulation of EN. NPY-immunoreactive cells and fibers were extensively distributed in the forebrain and pituitary of Cirrhinus cirrhosus. NPY immunoreactivity was observed in the olfactory receptor neurons, ganglion cells of terminal nerve, and in neurons of area ventralis telencephali/pars lateralis, EN, nucleus preopticus periventricularis (NPP), and nucleus lateralis tuberis. NPY-fibers were observed in the dorsal telencephalon, tuberal area and pituitary. While the area ventralis telencephali/pars intermedialis (Vi) located just above the EN contained a distinct population of tyrosine hydroxylase neurons, their axons seem to innervate NPY neurons in EN. Superfused brain slices containing EN were treated with DA D1- and D2-like receptor agonists. NPY-immunoreactivity in the EN showed significant increase (P<0.001) following DA D1-like receptor agonist, SKF-38393 treatment, but DA D2-like receptor agonist, quinpirole was ineffective. DA may regulate NPY neurons in EN via D1-like receptors. DA-NPY interaction in the EN might be important in the central regulation of reproduction in teleosts.

Cardiometry: new options in cardiology

Cardiometry as a new fundamental field of cardiology is described in the paper. The laws of cardiometry are identified herein. Cardiometry is based on an adequate mathematical model of hemodynamics that is described by the PoyedintsevVoronova equations. The mode of elevated blood fluidity was first described by the mathematics. This allows both to properly interpret the mechanism of the heart performance and to calculate phase-related volumes of blood in each cardiac cycle. The new interpretation of the SA and AV nodes functioning as baroreceptors is provided by the authors. A new classification for all of the varieties of ECG curve shapes has been proposed [1 - 13]. Clearly identified boundaries in each phase are provided according to the new theory of hemodynamics, and some new symbols for newly defined ECG points has been proposed. Point L which denotes the beginning of the rapid ejection phase has been introduced. The exact location of point j that is the end of the rapid ejection phase has been given by the authors [5, 13-16]. The existing ECG recording methods has been revised, and an original single-lead ECG of the ascending aorta has been developed. A rheogram is recorded in synchronism with obtaining the original single-lead ECG. Phase synchronization of the ECG and Rheo curves supplies us with a new source of data on all phase-related changes in arterial pressure. A new diagnostic device CARDIOCODE has been developed on the basis of the new theoretical basis. CARDIOCODE delivers non-invasively data on 7 phase-related volumes of blood in every cardiac cycle that was absolutely incredible in the past [1 - 11].

Phase characteristics of rheograms. Original classification of phase-related changes of Rheos

Phase characteristics of rheograms. Original classification of phase-related changes of Rheos

Menstrual cycle effects on selective attention and its underlying cortical networks

It was the aim of the present study to investigate menstrual cycle effects on selective attention and its underlying functional cerebral networks. Twenty-one healthy, right-handed, normally cycling women were investigated by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging using a go/no-go paradigm during the menstrual, follicular and luteal phase. On the behavioral level there was a significant interaction between visual half field and cycle phase with reaction times to right-sided compared to left-sided stimuli being faster in the menstrual compared to the follicular phase. These results might argue for a more pronounced functional cerebral asymmetry toward the left hemisphere in selective attention during the menstrual phase with low estradiol and progesterone levels. Functional imaging, however, did not reveal clear-cut menstrual phase-related changes in activation pattern in parallel to these behavioral findings. A functional connectivity analysis identified differences between the menstrual and the luteal phase: During the menstrual phase, left inferior parietal cortex showed a stronger negative correlation with the right middle frontal gyrus while the left medial frontal cortex showed a stronger negative correlation with the left middle frontal gyrus. These results can serve as further evidence of a modulatory effect of steroid hormones on networks of lateralized cognitive functions not only by interhemispheric inhibition but also by affecting intrahemispheric functional connectivity.

Endogenous Inhibition of the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex (NFR) and Pain Ratings During the Menstrual Cycle in Healthy Women

The menstrual cycle influences pain, with symptoms often increasing during the premenstrual (late-luteal) phase. Deficiencies in endogenous inhibition of afferent nociception at the spinal level might contribute to menstrual phase-related changes in pain. This study assessed whether conditioned pain modulation (CPM) of spinal nociception differs between mid-follicular and late-luteal phases. CPM was evoked by a blood pressure cuff affixed to the right forearm and inflated to induce ischemia in 41 healthy women during both menstrual phases. Suprathreshold electric stimuli were delivered to the left sural nerve to evoke pain and the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) before, during, and after forearm ischemia. Forearm ischemia produced CPM of electrocutaneous pain and NFR, but inhibition did not differ across mid-follicular and late-luteal phases. Mechanisms contributing to changes in experimental pain across mid-follicular and late-luteal phases in healthy women are not due to deficits in CPM of spinal nociception.

Disruption of Transitional Stages in 24-h Blood Pressure Recording in Renal Transplant Recipients

Patients with kidney replacement exhibit disrupted circadian rhythms. Most studies measuring blood pressure use the dipper/non-dipper classification, which does not consider analysis of transitional stages between low and high blood pressure, confidence intervals nor shifts in the time of peak, while assuming subjective onsets of night and day phases. In order to better understand the nature of daily variation of blood pressure in these patients, we analyzed 24 h recordings from 41 renal transplant recipients using the non-symmetrical double-logistic fitting assessment which does not assume abruptness nor symmetry in ascending and descending stages of the blood pressure profile, and a cosine best-fitting regression method (Cosinor). Compared with matched controls, double-logistic fitting showed that the times for most transitional stages (ascending systolic and descending systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure) had a wider distribution along the 24-h. The proportion of individuals without daily blood pressure rhythm in the transplanted group was larger only for systolic arterial pressure, and the amplitude showed no significant difference. Furthermore, the transplant recipient group had a less pronounced slope in descending systolic and ascending mean blood pressure. Cosinor analysis confirmed this phase-related changes, showing a wider distribution of times of peak (acrophases). We conclude that daily disruptions in renal transplant recipients can be explained not necessarily by an absence in diurnal variation, but also by changes in waveform-related parameters of the rhythm, and that alterations in the phase of the rhythm are the most consistent finding in these patients.

Phase change in the desert locust: A novel computerised behavioural assay to study the effects of anaesthesia on gregarisation

Phase change in the desert locust: A novel computerised behavioural assay to study the effects of anaesthesia on gregarisation